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Lights, Camera... Leadership!
Curriculum Guide
“In every community there is work to be done,
In every nation there are wounds to heal,
In every heart there is the power to do it.”
Marianne Williamson
Author: Helen M. Beattie, Ed.D.Editor: Paul Sachs
Developed by”The Vermont Rural Partnership
and
Spring 2004
The Orton Family Foundation
Table of Contents
Part 1: Introduction
Lights, Camera... Leadership! Course Overview and Outcomes iOverview of the Seven Course Phases ivAbout the Curriculum
Who is it for? xiiWho should teach this course? xiiWhat is the optimum class size? xiiWhat is the time commitment? xiiHow is student assessment and evaluation handled? xiiiHow is student assessment and evaluation handled? xiiiWhat the curriculum is…and what it isn’t xiv
Guiding Principles and PracticesLearning by Discovery viiiCommunity-based Service Learning xParticipants as Leaders - Teacher as Guide xi
The History of Lights, Camera... Leadership! vi
Conclusion xv
Part 2: The Seven Phases of Lights, Camera... Leadership!
Phase 1: What are we doing in this course? How are we going to do it? 1Phase 2: How do we choose a video topic that is important to our
community? Becoming experts. 20Phase 3: How can we make a video that people won’t forget? 43Phase 4: Let’s go shoot! 49Phase 5: Creating the final video. 57Phase 6: Premiering the video! 62Phase 7: Celebrating and reflecting. 71
Introduction Appendices
A RubricsB Experiential Learning Cycle Debriefing:
What, So What, Now What?C Vermont’s Framework of Standards
References
Introduction
“This course, just the idea itself, is great! Getting high schoolkids involved in a community project is not only beneficial
to the community itself, but it gives kids a chance to do something they never would have done before.”
-- Rose Catalona (freshman)
Welcome to the Lights, Camera... Leadership! curriculum guide. This introduction provides anoverview of the course design, outcomes, and sequence of tasks that comprise the course content.A brief history of the origins of Lights, Camera... Leadership! and founding principles and prac-tices are then offered. Finally, answers are provided to a myriad of basic questions for any indi-vidual considering implementing the curriculum. Quotes from students who have taken thiscourse and teachers who have taught it are interspersed throughout this introduction and the cur-riculum as a whole, to provide first hand insight into the experience.
Lights, Camera... Leadership! Course Overview and Outcomes
Lights, Camera... Leadership! is a high school course that develops leadership and academicskills through the process of making a Community Video. The guidelines for the video projectare as follows:
� Developing a thought-provoking Community Video that captures some importantaspect of your community from past, present and future perspectives.
� Informing, persuading and/or influencing viewers’ perspectives on the given topic.
� Balancing what the community is doing well concerning the issue, along with thechallenges that must be faced.
� Premiering the video at a community gathering, followed by a student- facilitateddialogue session.
These four guiding directives provide numerous opportunities to foster the following leadershipand academic skills and abilities, all of which are identified in Vermont’s Framework of Standardsand Learning Opportunities:
Communication Skills: Communication skills are developed so participants can effectively con-duct individual and focus group interviews, function as high performing video production teammembers, create a clear and compelling video which informs or persuades their audience, andlead community dialogue groups where there may be diverse perspectives.
“The main thing that stands out in my mind that I’ve learned this year has been proper ways tointerview people and good questions to ask them.”
-- Roz Vara (freshman)
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Reasoning and Problem Solving: In this inquiry-based course, reasoning and problem- solvingskills are integral to all phases of the curriculum. The first problem to be solved is identifying thefocus of the video. When the topic has been clarified, the class develops a strategy to thoroughlyexplore this issue, using primary resources. When all research findings are pooled, the class mustdecide what viewpoint will be taken on the issue and how this story will unfold in video form. Ona more practical level, the production team must learn to manage their time and deal with all theinevitable unanticipated challenges that arise from such a team-oriented and complex undertaking.Abstract and creative thinking opportunities abound. A problem-solving approach and ongoingreflection are offered to continually build the participants’ capacity to independently reason andproblem-solve.
“This class is a leadership class because we have been placed with this very broad project andwe have to each lead ourselves and each other, at different times, to the final video.”
-- Vedan North (freshman)
Personal Development: Students are asked to set goals regarding their personal growth andcapacity to work as effective team members throughout the course. Class participants create aclear vision and guidelines for how they are going to work together and challenge themselves tolive up to these high standards. This includes development of conflict resolution skills. Successis measured by the quality of the process of their work together, rather than the outcome. Thecurriculum capitalizes on the leadership and personal development opportunities embedded inthis compelling project, which by its very nature demands risk taking and growth.
“I think that sometimes I am a little shy when it comes to voicing my ideas because everyone elsewants to jump right in and get to work. In the future of this project, I want to be less timid aboutwhat my ideas are.”
-- Vedan North (freshman)
Civic Responsibility: The goal of the video project is to provoke a meaningful dialogue regarding anissue of importance to the community – a task embodying all the essential components of civicengagement. The class must find a topic that is relevant to the community and one they careabout. Participants then seek to understand this issue from all viewpoints, becoming experts onthe topic. Next, the class must decide which perspective they will take in their video, clarifyingtheir own personal positions in the process. Finally, students must mobilize the community tojoin them in exploring this issue by designing a well-orchestrated recruitment effort for thecommunity premiere and facilitating constructive dialogue groups. Class members experiencefirst-hand their capacity to be significant “players” in shaping the future of their town.Community pride and strengthened youth-adult relationships are often by-products of this “taste”of civic engagement.
“The video project has given me an amazing opportunity to gain the skills I need to be an activecitizen in my school and broader community. The focus group process especially helped me tobecome confident with my leadership skills so that I can be civically engaged on a larger scale inthe future.”
-- Maggie MacArthur McKay (sophomore)
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Academic Mastery: Multiple academic skills are developed through this course, particularly inthe domains of language arts (e.g. critical analysis of public documents, developing a defensiblepoint of view), the arts (e.g. artistic expression through the video medium, critical analysis of thisart form), and social studies (e.g. collecting and analyzing historical data utilizing primaryresources, interpreting the influence of the past on the present). Participants become experts inone aspect of their community, often knowing more about the issue than most other peers oradults. This sense of mastery is important for all students, but particularly for those who have notsucceeded in traditional academic work. A total of 22 of Vermont’s “Fields of Knowledge”learning standards are linked to this curriculum as well as 29 "Vital Results" standards. (SeeAppendix A.)
“When your teacher says read Chapter Nine and take notes, you read what someone else hasdone…going off other people’s knowledge. In this project you can develop your own opinion, notrelying on what someone else has told you is the case. You are finding out for yourself.”
-- D. J. Helfand (sophomore)
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iv
Overview of the Seven Course Phases
This curriculum is divided into seven phases that follow a logical sequence from introducing thetask to celebrating a successful community premiere. The following goals and objectives forthese phases are provided here to give a more comprehensive overview of the course:
Phase 1: What are we doing in this course? How are we going to do it?
Goal: Create a positive, productive learning community by fostering a commonunderstanding of the task, and developing a shared vision and commitment to theprocess of reaching this goal.
� Figure out what this course is all about.� Explore a way to problem solve and make decisions throughout the video project.� Begin working together as a team, creating a team vision and norms.� Define "community" personally and as a group.� Define the course goal and a personal goal using SMART goal setting guidelines.
Phase 2: How do we choose a video topic that is important to ourcommunity? Becoming experts.
Goal: Reach consensus and develop expertise on a video topic by collectingdata through focus groups, interviews and primary research.
� Develop fundamental interviewing skills: asking good questions, noticing nonverbalcues, learning to listen even if you strongly disagree, and paraphrasing.
� Learn to organize and lead a focus group.� Conduct individual interviews with community members and complete historical
research, gathering information from many stakeholders in the community.� Analyze the information collected.� Review alternative ways to make decisions and choose one method that is best for your
team to use in deciding the video topic and focus of the storyline.� Decide on the exact focus of your video and your storyline.� Do you know enough? Conduct additional research to capture all you need to know
about past, present and future perspectives of your issue.
Phase 3: How can we make a video that people won’t forget?
Goal: Develop a master plan for the video content and learn the technicalskills necessary to capture this content on video.
� Define the audience, purpose, key points and tone of the video.
� Explore what makes a great video documentary by learning from some expertsand then watching and critiquing other videos.
� Develop the skills needed to begin shooting the video: production process (securing asite, scheduling, release forms, etc.), interviewing and narration skills, and lightingand filming techniques.
Phase 4: Let’s go shoot!
Goal: Efficiently organize the videotaping process, securing the footage necessary to make a compelling video.
� Create a rough outline of the video, identifying who is to be interviewed and whatB-roll is needed.
� Develop the interview questions.� Conduct interviews and film the B-roll.
Phase 5: Creating the final video.
Goal: Develop the technical, critical analysis, and group decision-makingskills necessary to create the final video.
� Learn and master video editing techniques.� Log the video footage.� Finalize the editing script.� Edit the final video.
Phase 6: Premiering the video!
Goal: Successfully organize and facilitate a Community Video premiere and dialogue session.
� Organize and advertise the community premiere.� Practice techniques to facilitate discussions where there might be disagreements.� Develop public speaking skills.� Host the premiere.
Phase 7: Celebrating and reflecting.
Goal: Reflect upon and celebrate individual and group accomplishments,identifying how new skills and abilities can serve class participants in the future.
� Reflect upon what has been learned in the course. � Celebrate their learning and accomplishments.
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About the Curriculum
Who is it for?
This curriculum was designed for use with high school teens. It could be adapted for use in amiddle school. The teaching strategies employed will reach a wide array of learners. Ideally,each class will contain a mix of individuals who are already identified leaders and students whoare more non-traditional leaders and learners. The creation and nurturing of a diverse learningcommunity, brought together by working toward a common goal, is the vision. However, sincemost schools will not control who signs up for this class, the curriculum is flexible enough towork with any group.
Who should teach this course?
This course weaves together the fields of leadership development, history, language arts and tech-nology. Individuals who have expertise in any one of the four domains may teach this course,securing additional support or consultation regarding areas beyond his or her expertise. Lights,Camera... Leadership! certainly lends itself to team teaching if that is an option. Whatever theteacher’s particular primary discipline is, he or she must be comfortable with the experientialpedagogy, including student-centered decision- making.
What is the optimum class size?
This curriculum works best with approximately eight to sixteen participants. The larger thegroup, the greater the resources, but also the demands for tight organization to complete theproject. If the class size is greater than sixteen, creating two production teams and two videosmay be considered as an alternative.
What is the time commitment?
The pilot program ran a full academic year, which translates into approximately 145 hours ofinstruction. This class could also be taught in a shorter timeframe by altering expectations andproject phases.
It is important that students understand that the course will require a commitment to after school,evening and weekend time to run their focus groups, do research utilizing primary resources, conductinterviews, edit the video, and host the community premiere.
The teacher will obviously be present for all class periods, should attend all focus groups, mayneed to be available for editing sessions, and will attend the premiere. Collaboration with otherteachers who can augment this curriculum with expertise in the video production domain, videoscripting, or other related academic disciplines may alter time demands for this course.
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How is student assessment and evaluation handled?
Assessment includes the qualitative measures that are taken throughout a course experience tomonitor the process of student work. This information helps the teacher and participants shapethe course to meet their needs. Evaluation focuses on quantifying final outcomes and is the basisfor the traditional grading system.
Each teacher implementing this curriculum will need to develop his or her own assessment andevaluation system to complement the assessment means included in this curriculum guide.
Assessment:
Each curriculum phase includes clear objectives that lend themselves to creative assessments.Most activities are followed by debriefing questions entitled, “Dialogue and/or JournalQuestions.” These questions provide one means of continually assessing participant learningeither through discussion or written assignments. Importantly, they also build the students’reflective capacity – a critical life skill.
A number of rubrics which summarize key curriculum outcomes can be found in Appendix A.These rubrics address this curriculum’s “embedded standards” which serve as a foundation for theentire curriculum (Roles and Responsibilities, Problem Solving, Teamwork, Understanding Place,Being a Historian, Investigation and Types of Questions, Planning and Organization, TakingRisks, Goals Setting and Respect.) Each Phase also includes standards which are specific to theskills developed during that particular aspect of project development. These rubrics and stan-dards provide a means for students to self-assess and set their own personal course goals. Theycan also be used by the teacher to provide insight regarding student needs and to inform curricu-lum decisions.
Unscored portfolios are a rich documentation alternative. Guidelines and periodic class time towork on portfolio development will assure the quality of this assessment means.
A rubric that summarizes key curriculum outcomes can be found in Appendix A. This providesanother means for students to self-assess and set their own personal course goals. It can also beused by the teacher to provide insight regarding student needs and to inform curriculum decisions.In addition, student input into the creation of assessment means is a potentially valuablecomponent of the learning experience.
Finally, the video itself provides documentation of the students’ work. Community membersattending the premiere offer an opportunity to garner assessment data regarding the video and thestudent’s facilitation skills.
Evaluation:
Evaluation alternatives are not included in this curriculum. Ideally this course experience can be
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individualized, with grading linked to each participant’s contributions and unique goals.However, if quantitative measures are required, consideration of a scored portfolio is suggested.
Note: Mark Skelding, “Lasting Results: A Teacher’s Manual” (2000) is an excellent resource toassist in designing meaningful assessment and evaluation measures. What the Curriculum is and what it isn’t.
It is a Guide:
This is a curriculum GUIDE. It is a guide because each teacher has many choices and will beable to tailor the class to his or her own skills, abilities and interests, as well as those of thestudents. This curriculum provides basic activities to address the major steps in teaching thiscourse. Teachers may choose to expand, modify, or omit objectives or activities as they see fit.
For example, the curriculum spends a significant amount of time preparing students to runcommunity focus groups. Leading focus groups sets the stage for subsequent interviewing andfacilitation skill development. Student feedback affirmed the value of the energy devoted to thisundertaking. However, if time is limited, a teacher may choose to streamline the course byomitting focus groups and relying on other data collection means.
Certain aspects of the curriculum will need to be embellished with the teacher’s expertise or withassistance from colleagues (including competent community members) who can supplementinstruction. Teaching the technical aspects of video production is the clearest example of this.Some very basic checklists and activity options are provided but need to be integrated into athoughtful teaching and practice sequence orchestrated by someone who understands how toshare this knowledge with teens and who can support them during the inevitable learning curve.Needs will vary by site based on the teacher’s existing knowledge, equipment and editingresources, and the level of technical experience of students in the class. Local cable accessstations may be an excellent resource for assistance in this domain.
Development of the video storyline and promotional materials for the community premiere aretwo areas where collaboration with a person in the language arts arena would be helpful. Basicguidelines for both undertakings are offered, but these tasks offer a tremendous opportunity tobuild the students’ language arts skills in persuasive writing and speaking.
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Guiding Principles and Practices
This course is based on experiential education principles and practices, which put “discovery” atthe heart of authentic and enduring learning. Service learning and place-based learning tenets arealso a part of the framework for this course, which creates multiple opportunities for participantsto practice leadership in the classroom and community settings.
Guiding Principle One: Learning By Discovery
“Tell me, and I will forget;Show me, and I may remember;
Involve me, and I will understand.”
This curriculum is based on the premise that the teachers’ primary job is to structure opportunities forparticipants to discover the lessons inherent in each phase of the course. This teaching strategyis based on John Dewey's work (1938) and the field of experiential education. It is founded onthe belief that true learning occurs when individuals actively participate in and construct theirlearning, rather than passively being told what they should know. This curriculum also drawsheavily from the work of Project Adventure, an organization that has spent over thirty years buildingtraining resources to further the use of adventure-based or experiential strategies. The followingfour principles of experiential education serve as the foundation for this curriculum:
� The Experiential Learning Cycle� The Full Value Commitment� Challenge of Choice� Goal Setting
The Experiential Learning Cycle:
This cycle, developed by David Kolb (1984), lies at the heart of all experiential strategies:
ExperiencingApplying Reflecting
Generalizing
As facilitators of this curriculum, the task is to create an intentional leadership skill buildingexperience for participants, based on specific learning objectives. After participating in any oneactivity or task in the curriculum, the group reflects on what they have learned – a process oftenreferred to as “debriefing.” Initial reflections spark personal generalizations, shedding someinsight into one’s life or aspect of one’s leadership development. The final step entails applyingthis knowledge to one’s future or “life-at-large.” Each subsequent pass through this cycle buildson and reinforces prior learning – a deepening spiral of personal growth and skill development.
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One simple and effective way to move through this cycle is by asking three basic but powerfulquestions: What happened? So what? Now what? (See Appendix B for an overview of thisdebriefing sequence.)
The Full Value Commitment (FVC):
“When we made our big Full Value Commitment poster at the beginning, I was wonderingwhether we would be able to uphold all of the aspects of it, and sure enough, I don’t think wehave totally. We have, however, done well with more than I expected.”
-- Sam Tormey (sophomore)
The Full Value Commitment is an activity to help the group establish clear guidelines for the waythey will treat one another, and want to be treated, throughout the class. It is a powerful meansto quickly establish a safe, respectful and trusting climate – one in which participants are willingto take risks necessary for learning. The class must then take responsibility for not only creatingbut also sustaining these guidelines. This process contrasts with top-down rules that often resultin resistance rather than ownership.
It is important to have the Full Value Commitment available for each class and periodicallyreview and revise it as the participants grow in their understanding of themselves, and as a group.It can be a helpful tool for goal setting and ongoing individual and class reflections.
Challenge of Choice:
The principle of “Challenge of Choice” refers to the participant’s responsibility to choose his orher level of risk-taking in the learning experience. It is based on the belief that significant learningoccurs when one pushes oneself out of a known “comfort zone,” while at the same timerecognizing that each person's comfort zone will be different. “Challenge of Choice” does notmean that a person can choose whether he or she will be involved at all in an activity or task, butrather how that person will be involved.
It is very likely that within a class there will be individuals who joined primarily because theywant to develop technical skills, and who will find such tasks as leading focus groups or developingcommunication skills challenging and risky. Conversely, others will want to focus on leadershipskill development and will be utterly intimidated by technical aspects of the work. “Challenge ofChoice” means that every individual will need to stretch into domains that may not be theirprimary interest. However, this curriculum and the project demands frequently offer a variety ofroles and tasks at any one time so that participants can choose learning opportunities that stretchthem but do not send them into a "panic zone."
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Goal Setting:
“Goal setting allows one to isolate specific needs and act on them. It allows participants to beintentional, to carry through with their intentions, and to discuss outcomes. Without a sense ofcompletion, participants are left with the perception of failure.”
-- Schoel and Maizell (2002)
The development of clear, attainable goals is a key to personal growth and successful leadership(Lewin, 1944; Payne, 1996; Glasser, 1965; Henton, 1996). This skill is introduced in Phase Oneand should be creatively integrated throughout each class. Facilitators have many opportunitiesto model and build this skill. One simple means is to start each class by sharing the daily goaland objectives and end the session by seeing if they were met. It is important for participants towrite down their own goals and check back to note progress toward reaching them. Otherwise,these goals risk the same fate as millions of forgotten New Years’ resolutions!
Guiding Principle Two: Community-based Service Learning
“Don’t ask yourself what the world needs.Ask yourself what makes you come alive,
and then go and do that. Because what the world needs is
people that have come alive.”Harold Thurman Whitman
Connecting to one’s community through service work is a powerful means to anchor abstractconcepts and skills in real-life applications. Fostering a spirit of “helpfulness,” deepening youth-adultrelationships, and providing opportunities for meaningful participation all promote resiliency andare key elements of leadership development (Henderson, 1996). The creation of a video that isused to engage community members in a meaningful dialogue about the future of their communityis the “service” aspect of this curriculum.
This curriculum is founded on the following service learning practices:
� Clear objectives are developed before engaging in service/project work.� Reflection takes place during and after project completion.� The project is shared with a larger community.� There is a celebration to honor what was learned and the efforts of all involved.
Place-based learning "utilizes a community’s rich history and uniqueness to teach essential skillsand concepts and stimulate discovery of the broader world. Exploring the world outside theclassroom not only enhances real-world connections for students, but it also provides thealternative learning environments and learning opportunities they need to succeed" (Skelding,
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Kemple, and Kiefer, 2001, p.4). Vermont is the only state in the nation to have included educationalstandards relating to “Understanding Place” (Standard 4.6) and “Sustainability” (Standard 3.9),honoring our communities as rich and engaging "learning laboratories” (See Appendix C).
Guiding Principle Three: Participants as Leaders – Teacher as Guide
“On one or two occasions a student said to me, ‘Mr. Book, this is OUR project.’ Back off,essentially. It didn’t take me about twice to hear that to realize that this is exactly what Iwanted, that this was great!”
-- David Book (Cabot School Lead Teacher)
This course uses the classroom and the community as a learning laboratory for leadershipdevelopment. Students should assume increasing responsibility over the term of the course bothwithin classroom activities and in the management of their production team. The teacher is aguide, charged with mastering the fine art of providing needed skill development and then vesting theclass with the responsibility to act on it accordingly. The most difficult part of this process is letting goof control of the outcome, especially in situations where the teacher can predict an oversight ormistake, or must let go of his or her preconceived ideas about “the way it should be.” Studentsshould never be set up to fail, but rather challenged to take reasonable risks and asked to learnfrom the outcomes. In most instances, they will meet or exceed expectations when a trusted adultbelieves in them and they are given the opportunity to stretch and grow!
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The History of Lights, Camera... Leadership!
The Vermont Rural Partnership (VRP) is a network of seventeen small rural schools throughoutVermont. This organization cares deeply about developing and disseminating curricula which linkschools and communities together as a learning context (place-based, experiential education),enhancing youth voice in school and community decision-making, and implementing innovativeassessment measures which go well beyond standardized testing. Many schools have tended totreat youth leadership as an extracurricular add-on, seldom embedding it into the academic day.Similarly, place-based learning too often has taken the form of a short-lived project that was nevertruly integrated in the curriculum as a whole. Development of the Lights, Camera... Leadership!course marks a departure from this pattern, blending place-based education, which is integrallylinked to the Vermont Framework of Standards, with youth leadership development and innovativemeans of assessment and documentation in a credit-bearing course.
Leadership development is anchored by the video project. The Orton Family Foundation’sCommunity Video Program inspired this aspect of the curriculum. The Orton Foundation helpscitizens of rural America define the future, shape the growth, and preserve the heritage of theircommunities. In 2001, The Orton Family Foundation published a book entitled, Lights, Camera,Community Video: Engaging Citizens in Creating a Community Documentary and Vision. Itincludes the expectation that these community documentaries will capture past, present and futureaspects of the community as a whole. Many towns around the country have embraced thisapproach, often as part of a town planning process. The Orton manual is geared toward an adultcommunity-based group orchestrating this work.
Young people are increasingly interested in the video medium and technological proficiency. It isalso clear that leadership skills taught in the abstract rarely capture the interest of highschool students. This project seemed like a perfect way to meld leadership skill developmentwith a multitude of academic goals through an engaging experiential, place-based learning task.If adults found this work valuable, why not youth, working in partnership with adults?
Educators often struggle with how to teach and assess the “Vital Results” standards: communicationskills, personal development, reasoning and problem solving, and civic engagement. Thiscurriculum brings relevance to these skills because they are essential tools in the creation of thevideo. Lofquist (1983) contends that personal growth is best developed as a by-product by creating agenuine experience wherein students are engaged as resources in changing conditions. Thiscurriculum is built upon this fundamental principle.
In the spring of 2002, The Orton Family Foundation took a lead in securing funding from theFreeman Foundation, The Vermont Community Foundation and the Tamarack Fund to developthis curriculum. This course was piloted during the 2002-2003 school year with three highschools in Vermont (Cabot School, Peoples Academy and Thetford Academy). These three sitesmet for three two-day retreats and two one-day retreats. The major components of the curriculum wereimplemented at these joint gatherings. Lead teachers at each of the three sites then guidedstudents’ work back at their local schools.
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As with every pilot, lessons were learned from what worked well and what did not. To summarize theselessons:
Full Academic Status: This course must be awarded academic credit and be embedded withinthe normal school schedule. All three schools offered this pilot course for credit. Unfortunately,scheduling challenges in two schools precluded having a consistent class period during the schoolday. Finding a common meeting time after school was hard, making project work very difficultat these sites. The one school that did carve out a class period only met once a week for one hour,which was not adequate to assure timely support and sustained momentum.
Single Site Curriculum: Although there were many benefits of having three schools engaged inthis one course, the scheduling logistics were difficult at best. This curriculum is written for asingle school class, assuring continuity and depth of the experience.
The Curriculum Itself: This curriculum guide is a reflection of what was actually integrated intothe pilot program and well received by students. It also contains pieces that in retrospect wouldhave been helpful supplements to what was provided. Components of the supplemental piecesare excerpted from a larger youth leadership curriculum guide entitled “Our Voices; OurCommunity” (Vermont Children’s Forum and Vermont Rural Partnership, 2003) that was beingdeveloped at the same time the pilot course was running.
Conclusion
Lights, Camera... Leadership! is a course with clearly defined goals, objectives, methods,and pedagogy. It is also a wildly creative process that will look different in each school that iswilling to go on its own journey in implementing this curriculum. The course weaves togetherschools and communities, young and old, the known and the unknown, by means of the artful wisdomand energy of youth. Lights, Camera... Leadership! provides an opportunity to repeatedly affirmthe inherent leadership abilities of each and every class participant and builds these skills yetstronger. Teens, who often feel detached from their communities, become experts in oneimportant aspect of their town’s future, as well as knowledgeable about its past. They arerespected by adults for providing a valued service to the community and acting in a professionalmanner. Participants experience the satisfaction of exploring an issue of importance, mobilizingothers to become invested, and contributing to the identity and future direction of the town. Theseare life skills that will contribute to the desire and capacity of these young people to becomelife-long valued and engaged citizens.
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ies,
defin
ing
resp
onsi
bilit
ies;
resp
onsi
bilit
ies;
regu
larly
take
s on
ongo
ing
over
sigh
t to
take
s on
del
egat
edre
adily
take
s on
new
resp
onsi
bilit
ies
whi
ch a
re
com
plet
e th
em.
resp
onsi
bilit
ies;
req
uire
sre
spon
sibi
litie
s; n
eeds
ch
alle
ngin
g; n
eeds
littl
e or
no
som
e ov
ersi
ght t
o co
mpl
ete
little
ove
rsig
ht to
com
plet
eov
ersi
ght t
o co
mpl
ete
them
.th
em.
them
.
A-1
Pro
blem
Sol
ving
Rub
ric:
Sta
ndar
d 2.
2
Stud
ents
use
rea
soni
ng s
trat
egie
s, k
now
ledg
e, a
nd c
omm
on s
ense
to
solv
e co
mpl
ex p
robl
ems
rela
ted
to a
ll fi
elds
of
know
ledg
e.
Get
ting
Sta
rted
Alm
ost
The
reG
ot I
t!W
ow!
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
Exp
lori
ng th
e pr
oble
m.
Iden
tifie
s th
ere
is a
Iden
tifie
s th
ere
is a
Iden
tifie
s th
ere
is a
Iden
tifie
s th
ere
is a
pr
oble
m b
ut d
oes
not
prob
lem
and
con
side
rspr
oble
m a
nd r
esea
rche
spr
oble
m a
nd th
orou
ghly
expl
ore
poss
ible
rea
sons
a fe
w o
bvio
us r
easo
nsth
e re
ason
s fo
r th
eex
plor
es a
ny p
ossi
ble
for
the
prob
lem
.fo
r th
e pr
oble
m.
prob
lem
.fa
ctor
s co
ntri
butin
g to
the
prob
lem
.
Bra
inst
orm
ing
solu
tions
.Q
uick
ly id
entif
ies
one
Con
side
rs a
few
C
onsi
ders
man
y po
ssib
leSo
licits
a c
reat
ive
list
solu
tion
to th
e pr
oble
m.
obvi
ous
solu
tions
to th
eso
lutio
ns to
the
prob
lem
.of
alte
rnat
ive
solu
tions
prob
lem
.to
the
prob
lem
, mak
ing
sure
nov
el a
ltern
ativ
es a
rein
clud
ed.
Cho
osin
g th
e be
st s
olut
ion.
Tri
es th
e on
e so
lutio
nR
ando
mly
cho
oses
aC
onsi
ders
the
pro’
s an
d R
esea
rche
s pr
o’s
and
con’
sid
entif
ied.
solu
tion
from
the
list
con’
s of
pos
sibl
e so
lutio
nsof
top
two-
thre
e so
lutio
nsge
nera
ted.
and
choo
ses
one.
and
deci
des
on th
e on
e be
stso
lutio
n.
Tri
es a
nd e
valu
ates
the
Tri
es th
e so
lutio
n w
ithou
tT
ries
the
solu
tion
and
Tri
es th
e so
lutio
n,T
ries
the
solu
tion,
solu
tion.
eval
uatin
g its
eff
ectiv
enes
s.no
tices
whe
ther
or
not
eval
uate
s its
eff
ectiv
enes
s,ev
alua
tes
its e
ffec
tiven
ess,
was
eff
ectiv
e.an
d re
flec
ts o
n st
reng
ths
re
flec
ts o
n th
e st
reng
ths
and
limita
tions
of
prob
lem
and
lim
itatio
ns o
f th
e pr
oble
mso
lvin
g pr
oces
s.
solv
ing
proc
ess
and
sets
goa
lto
impr
ove
futu
re p
robl
em s
olvi
ngba
sed
on w
hat w
as le
arne
d.
A-2
Team
wor
k R
ubri
c: S
tand
ard
3.10
Stud
ents
per
form
eff
ecti
vely
on
team
s th
at s
et a
nd a
chie
ve g
oals
, con
duct
inve
stig
atio
ns, s
olve
pro
blem
s an
d cr
eate
sol
utio
ns(e
.g. b
y us
ing
cons
ensu
s-bu
ildin
g an
d co
oper
atio
n to
wor
k to
war
d gr
oup
deci
sion
s.
Team
wor
k R
ubri
c I:
Ref
lect
ing
on p
erso
nal r
ole
wit
hin
the
grou
p.
Get
ting
Sta
rted
Alm
ost
The
reG
ot I
t!W
ow!
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
Focu
sing
abi
lity.
Atte
mpt
s to
sta
y on
Is f
ocus
ed o
n th
e ta
skIs
foc
used
on
the
task
Is f
ocus
ed o
n th
e ta
skta
sk b
ut s
trug
gles
.so
me
of th
e tim
e.m
ost o
f th
e tim
e.m
ost o
f th
e tim
e.
Pers
onal
con
trib
utio
n.Pa
ssiv
ely
cont
ribu
tes
Occ
asio
nally
con
trib
utes
.Fr
eque
ntly
con
trib
utes
.C
ontin
uous
ly c
ontr
ibut
es.
(e.g
. pay
s at
tent
ion
but
lets
oth
ers
do a
ll th
e w
ork)
Wor
king
with
oth
ers,
Onl
y ra
rely
fol
low
s So
met
imes
fol
low
s gr
oup’
sA
lmos
t alw
ays
follo
ws
Alw
ays
follo
ws
grou
p’s
coop
erat
ing
and
grou
p’s
rule
s an
d de
cisi
ons.
rule
s an
d de
cisi
ons.
grou
p’s
rule
s an
d de
cisi
ons.
rule
s an
d de
cisi
ons.
co
llabo
ratin
g.
Com
prom
isin
g an
dA
ttem
pts
to a
ccep
t gro
upU
sual
ly a
ccep
ts g
roup
Acc
epts
gro
up d
ecis
ion
and
Alw
ays
acce
pts
grou
pco
nflic
t res
olut
ion.
deci
sion
s an
d re
ach
deci
sion
s an
d re
ache
sac
tivel
y co
ntri
bute
s to
deci
sion
and
act
ivel
y co
ntri
bute
sco
nsen
sus,
but
con
tinue
s to
cons
ensu
s, b
ut o
ccas
iona
llyre
achi
ng c
onse
nsus
, cle
arly
to re
achi
ng c
onse
nsus
, bei
ng a
co
nsis
tent
ly n
ot c
onsi
der
will
not
con
side
r st
atin
g pe
rson
al v
iew
poin
tro
le m
odel
for
cle
arly
sta
ting
com
prom
isin
g pe
rson
alco
mpr
omis
ing
pers
onal
and
com
prom
isin
g w
hen
pers
onal
vie
wpo
int a
nd
view
poin
t. vi
ewpo
int w
hen
nece
ssar
y ne
cess
ary
for
the
good
of
com
prom
isin
g st
rong
ly h
eld
for
the
good
of
the
grou
p.th
e gr
oup.
stan
ce w
hen
nece
ssar
y fo
r th
ego
od o
f th
e gr
oup.
A-3
Team
Rub
ric
II:
Ref
lect
ing
on t
he t
eam
s’ca
paci
ty t
o w
ork
effe
ctiv
ely.
Get
ting
Sta
rted
Alm
ost
The
reG
ot I
t!W
ow!
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
Focu
sing
abi
lity.
Gro
up s
eldo
m s
tays
on
Gro
up s
tays
on
task
Gro
up o
ften
sta
ys o
n ta
sk.
Gro
up a
lway
s st
ays
on ta
sk.
task
. Gro
up m
embe
rsso
me
of th
e tim
e. A
few
M
ost g
roup
mem
bers
not
ice
All
grou
p m
embe
rs a
re c
apab
ledo
n’t n
otic
e th
is f
act.
grou
p m
embe
rs s
omet
imes
whe
n fo
cus
has
wea
kene
dof
not
icin
g w
hen
focu
s st
arts
notic
e w
hen
focu
s w
eake
ns
and
help
s th
e gr
oup
retu
rn
to w
eake
n an
d im
med
iate
ly h
elp
and
help
s th
e gr
oup
retu
rnto
the
task
.th
e gr
oup
retu
rn to
the
task
.to
the
task
.
Val
uing
one
ano
ther
;So
me
grou
p m
embe
rs’
Mos
t gro
up m
embe
rs’
All
grou
p m
embe
rs’
All
grou
p m
embe
rs’
acce
ptan
ce, r
espe
ct a
ndid
eas
are
resp
ecte
d an
did
eas
are
resp
ecte
d an
d id
eas
are
resp
ecte
d an
did
eas
are
equa
lly r
espe
cted
,to
lera
nce.
disc
usse
d.di
scus
sed.
disc
usse
d.di
scus
sed,
and
in s
ome
way
inco
rpor
ated
into
the
fina
lpr
oduc
t.
Wor
king
toge
ther
;M
ost a
ttem
pt to
con
trib
ute
Mos
t con
trib
ute
and
All
cont
ribu
te a
ndA
ll co
ntin
uous
ly c
ontr
ibut
esh
arin
g th
e re
spon
sibi
lity
but w
ork
is p
rimar
ily d
one
parti
cipa
te c
onst
ruct
ivel
y;pa
rtici
pate
con
stru
ctiv
ely;
cons
truct
ivel
y an
d ch
eck
freq
uent
lyby
one
or t
wo
mem
bers
.th
e w
ork
is s
hare
d by
the
wor
k is
sha
red
by a
llto
mak
e su
re th
e w
ork
is s
hare
d by
mos
t of t
he te
am m
embe
rs.
team
mem
bers
.al
l tea
m m
embe
rs b
ased
on
skill
san
d in
tere
sts.
Com
prom
isin
g an
dM
any
unre
solv
ed
Som
e un
reso
lved
con
flic
tsG
roup
usu
ally
reso
lves
Gro
up a
lway
s re
solv
es c
onfl
icts
conf
lict r
esol
utio
n.co
nflic
ts a
nd d
iffic
ulty
and
diff
icul
ty c
ompr
omis
ing
conf
licts
con
stru
ctiv
ely
and
cons
truct
ivel
y an
d ta
sk c
ompl
etio
nco
mpr
omis
ing
prev
ents
slow
s ta
sk c
ompl
etio
n.
task
com
plet
ion
is u
sual
lyis
alw
ays
effic
ient
and
suc
cess
ful.
task
com
plet
ion.
effi
cien
t and
suc
cess
ful.
Und
erst
andi
ng o
f the
No
unde
rsta
ndin
g of
the
Som
e un
ders
tand
ing
that
Und
erst
ands
the
stag
esU
nder
stan
ds th
e st
ages
of g
roup
st
ages
of
grou
p st
ages
of
grou
p.gr
oups
go
thro
ugh
stag
es.
of g
roup
dev
elop
men
t,de
velo
pmen
t, w
hat s
tage
the
deve
lopm
ent.
deve
lopm
ent.
Can
nam
e st
ages
but
doe
sw
hat s
tage
the
grou
p is
grou
p is
in, a
nd is
a le
ader
in
not r
elat
e th
ese
to o
wn
in, a
nd w
hat i
t nee
ds to
help
ing
the
grou
p m
ove
thro
ugh
grou
p.m
ove
thro
ugh
the
stag
e.th
e st
age
prod
uctiv
ely.
A-4
A-5
Und
erst
andi
ng P
lace
(4.
6) a
nd B
eing
an
His
tori
an (
6.6)
Rub
rics
Stud
ents
dem
onst
rate
und
erst
andi
ng o
f th
e re
lati
onsh
ip b
etw
een
thei
rlo
cal e
nvir
onm
ent
and
com
mun
ity
heri
tage
and
how
each
sha
pes
thei
rliv
es.
Get
ting
Sta
rted
Alm
ost
The
reG
ot I
t!W
ow!
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
Stud
ents
dem
onst
rate
Has
littl
e or
no
Has
beg
un to
exp
lore
the
Is w
ell v
erse
d in
at l
east
Is
an
expe
rt in
at l
east
unde
rsta
ndin
g of
the.
unde
rsta
ndin
g of
the
com
mun
ity’s
nat
ural
and
on
e as
pect
of
the
one
aspe
ct o
f th
e co
mm
unity
’sre
latio
nshi
p be
twee
n th
eir
com
mun
ity’s
nat
ural
and
cu
ltura
l her
itage
and
cur
rent
com
mun
ity’s
nat
ural
and
natu
ral a
nd c
ultu
ral h
erita
ge a
ndlo
cal e
nvir
onm
ent a
ndcu
ltura
l her
itage
,or
chal
leng
es c
onfr
ontin
g th
ecu
ltura
l her
itage
and
the
curr
ent c
halle
nges
con
fron
ting
com
mun
ity h
erita
ge a
nd
chal
leng
es c
onfr
ontin
gco
mm
unity
.cu
rren
t cha
lleng
es
the
com
mun
ity.
Is a
ble
to
how
eac
h sh
apes
thei
r the
co
mm
unity
.co
nfro
ntin
g th
e co
mm
unity
,re
late
his
tori
cal p
ersp
ectiv
e to
lives
. (4
.6)
as li
nked
to it
s hi
stor
y.pr
esen
t situ
atio
n an
d su
gges
tim
plic
atio
ns f
or th
e fu
ture
.__
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
__
Stud
ents
use
his
tori
cal
Has
not
stu
died
loca
lId
entif
ies
hist
oric
al is
sue
Iden
tifie
s hi
stor
ical
issu
e of
Bec
omes
an
expe
rt o
n a
met
hodo
logy
to m
ake
hist
ory
nor
enga
ged
inof
inte
rest
and
see
ks
inte
rest
, see
ks in
form
atio
n hi
stor
ical
issu
e of
inte
rest
,in
terp
reta
tions
con
cern
ing
hist
oric
al re
sear
ch u
sing
info
rmat
ion
prim
arily
from
from
sec
onda
ry s
ourc
es a
nd
criti
cally
ana
lyzi
ng s
ourc
eshi
stor
y, c
hang
e an
dpr
imar
y so
urce
s.se
cond
ary
sour
ces.
iden
tifie
s an
d pu
rsue
s da
ta o
f da
ta, a
nd in
tegr
atin
g co
ntin
uity
. (6
.6)
from
pri
mar
y so
urce
s (e
.g.
find
ings
into
a c
oher
ent
inte
rvie
win
g el
ders
, rev
iew
-w
hole
. T
his
incl
udes
ana
lyzi
ngin
g or
igin
al d
ocum
ents
, etc
.)ca
use
and
effe
ct re
latio
nshi
ps
Beg
ins
to id
entif
y ca
use
impa
ctin
g ch
ange
and
con
tinui
ty.
and
effe
ct r
elat
ions
hips
im
pact
ing
chan
ge a
ndco
ntin
uity
.
A-6
Inve
stig
atio
n an
d T
ypes
of
Que
stio
ns R
ubri
c: S
tand
ard
2.1
and
7.2
Stud
ents
des
ign
and
cond
uct
a va
riet
y of
the
irow
n in
vest
igat
ions
and
pro
ject
s. T
hese
sho
uld
incl
ude:
∑∑Q
uest
ions
tha
t ca
n be
stu
died
usi
ng t
he r
esou
rces
ava
ilabl
e;∑∑
Pro
cedu
res
that
are
saf
e, h
uman
e, a
nd e
thic
al;
∑∑D
ata
that
are
col
lect
ed a
nd r
ecor
ded
in w
ays
that
oth
ers
can
veri
fy;
∑∑D
ata
and
resu
lts
that
are
rep
rese
nted
in w
ays
that
add
ress
the
que
stio
n at
han
d;∑∑
Rec
omm
enda
tion
s, d
ecis
ions
, and
con
clus
ions
tha
t ar
e ba
sed
on e
vide
nce,
and
tha
t ac
know
ledg
e re
fere
nces
and
cont
ribu
tion
s of
oth
ers;
∑∑R
esul
ts t
hat
are
com
mun
icat
ed a
ppro
pria
tely
to
audi
ence
s; a
nd∑∑
Ref
lect
ions
and
def
ense
of
conc
lusi
ons
and
reco
mm
enda
tion
s fr
om o
ther
sour
ces,
and
pee
rre
view
.St
uden
ts a
sk a
var
iety
of
ques
tion
s.
Get
ting
Sta
rted
Alm
ost
The
reG
ot I
t!W
ow!
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____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
Qua
lity
of q
uest
ioni
ngA
sks
som
e qu
estio
nsA
sks
man
y qu
estio
nsD
elib
erat
ely
trie
s to
Syst
emat
ical
ly d
evel
ops
that
imm
edia
tely
com
eth
at c
ome
imm
edia
tely
co
me
up w
ith q
uest
ions
open
-end
ed q
uest
ions
whi
ch
to m
ind.
Oft
en a
sks
clos
edto
min
d. A
sks
both
beyo
nd th
ose
that
com
ere
late
to th
e st
udy
topi
c.qu
estio
ns w
hen
seek
ing
clos
ed a
nd o
pen-
ende
dim
med
iate
ly to
min
d.R
egul
arly
pro
bes
for
addi
tiona
l in
form
atio
n.
ques
tions
whe
n se
ekin
gA
sks
prim
arily
ope
n-en
ded
info
rmat
ion.
Con
tinua
lly
info
rmat
ion.
Rar
ely
ques
tions
whe
n se
ekin
gex
pand
s so
urce
s of
prob
es f
or a
dditi
onal
info
rmat
ion.
Som
etim
esin
form
atio
n.in
form
atio
n.pr
obes
for
add
ition
al
info
rmat
ion.
Proc
edur
esL
ittle
or
no a
ttent
ion
Som
e at
tent
ion
toC
onsi
sten
t atte
ntio
n to
Res
earc
hes
and
proa
ctiv
ely
to s
afet
y is
sues
, bas
icsa
fety
issu
es, b
asic
safe
ty is
sues
, bas
icad
dres
ses
poss
ible
saf
ety
issu
es,
cons
ider
atio
n of
oth
ers
and
cons
ider
atio
n of
oth
ers,
co
nsid
erat
ion
of o
ther
s,
need
s of
oth
ers,
eth
ics
of ta
sks
ethi
cs o
f ta
sks.
(e.
g.an
d et
hics
of
task
s.an
d et
hics
of
task
s.co
pyri
ghts
, con
fide
ntia
lity)
Dat
a co
llect
ion
Dat
a is
col
lect
ed in
a
Dat
a is
col
lect
ed in
aD
ata
is c
olle
cted
in a
nD
ata
colle
ctio
n pl
an is
ra
ndom
and
dis
orga
nize
dso
mew
hat o
rgan
ized
orga
nize
d fa
shio
n.
care
fully
dev
elop
ed a
nd
A-7
fash
ion.
Int
erac
tions
with
fash
ion.
Int
erac
tions
Inte
ract
ions
with
indi
vidu
als
impl
emen
ted.
Inte
ract
ions
indi
vidu
als
help
ing
with
with
indi
vidu
als
help
ing
help
ing
with
res
earc
h w
ith in
divi
dual
s he
lpin
gre
sear
ch la
cks
resp
ect
with
res
earc
h is
ar
e re
spec
tful
and
w
ith p
rim
ary
sour
ces
are
and/
or c
onsi
dera
tion
som
ewha
t res
pect
ful
cons
ider
ate
of e
thic
al
high
ly r
espe
ctfu
l and
of
eth
ical
issu
es (
e.g.
and/
or c
onsi
dera
tion
of
issu
es.
ethi
cal.
copy
righ
ts, c
onfi
dent
ialit
y.)
ethi
cal i
ssue
s
Muc
h of
dat
a do
es n
otD
ata
som
etim
es r
elat
esD
ata
ofte
n re
late
s to
the
Dat
a al
way
s re
late
s to
the
rela
te to
pri
mar
y qu
estio
nto
the
prim
ary
ques
tion
prim
ary
ques
tion
bein
gpr
imar
y qu
estio
n be
ing
bein
g re
sear
ched
. be
ing
rese
arch
ed.
rese
arch
ed.
rese
arch
ed.
Onl
y on
e or
two
sour
ces
Util
izes
sev
eral
sou
rces
Util
izes
mul
tiple
sou
rces
Util
izes
mul
tiple
sou
rces
of in
form
atio
n us
ed.
for
info
rmat
ion.
for
info
rmat
ion.
for
info
rmat
ion
and
adds
to s
ourc
e op
tions
as
data
col
lect
ion
proc
eeds
.
Doc
umen
tatio
n of
dat
aD
ocum
enta
tion
of d
ata
Doc
umen
tatio
n of
dat
aD
ocum
enta
tion
of d
ata
isis
ran
dom
and
inad
equa
te.
is n
ot c
onsi
sten
t, of
ten
is c
onsi
sten
tly r
ecor
ded
cons
iste
ntly
rec
orde
d an
dno
t und
erst
anda
ble
and
unde
rsta
ndab
le to
unde
rsta
ndab
le to
oth
ers.
to o
ther
s, a
nd s
ome
othe
rs.
All
data
can
be
Dat
a ca
n be
rev
iew
ed a
nd
data
is lo
st.
revi
ewed
and
inte
rpre
ted
inte
rpre
ted
by te
am m
embe
rsby
team
mem
bers
.an
d w
ould
be
com
preh
ensi
ble
to o
ther
s ou
tsid
e th
e pr
ojec
t.
Con
clus
ions
and
Con
clus
ions
and
Con
clus
ions
and
Con
clus
ions
and
Con
clus
ions
and
reco
mm
enda
tions
R
ecom
men
datio
nsre
com
men
datio
ns a
rere
com
men
datio
ns a
rere
com
men
datio
ns a
rear
e ba
sed
on a
ll pi
eces
of e
xist
ing
base
d on
onl
y a
few
pie
ces
base
d on
sev
eral
pie
ces
base
d on
all
piec
es o
fda
ta a
nd a
dditi
onal
dat
a to
cro
ss-
of d
ata.
of d
ata.
data
.ch
eck
assu
mpt
ions
.
Com
mun
icat
ion
ofT
he C
omm
unity
Vid
eoT
he C
omm
unity
Vid
eoT
he C
omm
unity
Vid
eo
The
Com
mun
ity V
ideo
isre
sults
thro
ugh
the
lack
s a
cohe
rent
pr
esen
ts f
indi
ngs,
ef
fect
ivel
y pr
esen
ts
high
ly e
ffec
tiive
in p
rese
ntin
gC
omm
unity
Vid
eo
pres
enta
tion
of fi
ndin
gs,
conc
lusi
ons
and
futu
refi
ndin
gs, c
oncl
usio
ns a
ndfi
ndin
gs, c
oncl
usio
ns a
nd fu
ture
conc
lusi
ons
and
impl
icat
ions
in a
som
ewha
tfu
ture
impl
icat
ions
. Mai
n im
plic
atio
ns.
Mai
n po
ints
are
A-8
futu
re im
plic
atio
ns.
cohe
rent
man
ner.
poin
ts a
re c
lear
and
cl
ear
and
unde
rsta
ndab
le a
nd
unde
rsta
ndab
le.
lead
the
view
er to
new
un
ders
tand
ing
of, a
nd in
vest
men
tin
, the
issu
e.
Res
pons
e to
Fee
dbac
kR
espo
nds
inap
prop
riat
ely
Lim
ited
abili
ty to
Res
pond
s ap
prop
riat
ely
Abl
e to
fie
ld a
wid
e va
riet
y
(e.g
. def
ensi
vely
) or i
sre
spon
d to
que
stio
ns/
to q
uest
ions
and
com
men
tsof
que
stio
ns a
nd c
omm
ents
,un
prep
ared
to o
ffer
any
com
men
ts a
t the
CP.
.at
the
CP
with
a g
ood
fund
at
the
CP,
dem
onst
ratin
g an
re
spon
se to
que
stio
ns /
Dem
onst
rate
s th
at h
is/h
erof
kno
wle
dge.
Vie
wpo
int
exce
llent
fund
of k
now
ledg
e an
d co
mm
ents
at t
he C
omm
unity
fu
nd o
f kno
wle
dge
on th
eon
the
topi
c is
cle
arly
wel
l w
ell d
evel
oped
vie
wpo
int o
n th
ePr
emie
re (
CP)
. Dem
onst
rate
s to
pic
is li
mite
d an
d fo
rmed
and
def
ensi
ble.
issu
e.th
at h
e/sh
e ha
s no
t vi
ewpo
int i
s no
t cle
arly
fo
rmul
ated
any
vie
wpo
int
form
ed.
on v
ideo
issu
e.
CP
part
icip
ant
CP
part
icip
ant
CP
part
icip
ant
CP
part
icip
ant
reco
mm
enda
tions
are
reco
mm
enda
tion
are
reco
mm
enda
tions
are
reco
mm
enda
tions
are
not a
ccep
ted
orse
lect
ivel
y ac
cept
ed a
ndac
cept
ed a
nd r
espe
cted
as
acce
pted
and
res
pect
ed a
sre
spec
ted.
Alte
rnat
ere
spec
ted
as a
n al
tern
ativ
eal
tern
ativ
e vi
ewpo
ints
.al
tern
ativ
e vi
ewpo
ints
. N
ewvi
ewpo
ints
are
view
poin
t. S
ome
view
poin
ts le
ad to
add
ition
alju
dged
neg
ativ
ely.
defe
nsiv
enes
s is
ques
tions
or
fine
tuni
ng o
fev
iden
t.pe
rson
al p
ersp
ectiv
e.
A9
Rub
rics
for
:P
lann
ing/
Org
aniz
ing
(2.1
4), T
akin
g R
isks
(2.
8), G
oal S
etti
ng (
3.1)
and
Res
pect
(3.
3)
Get
ting
Sta
rted
Alm
ost
The
reG
ot I
t!W
ow!
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
Stud
ents
pla
n an
d or
gani
ze.M
inim
ally
con
tribu
tes
Occ
asio
nally
con
tribu
tes
Freq
uent
ly c
ontri
bute
sC
ontin
uous
ly c
ontri
bute
s A
n ac
tivity
(2.
14)
in te
am p
lann
ing
and
in te
am p
lann
ing
and
in te
am p
lann
ing
and
in te
am p
lann
ing
and
orga
niza
tion.
or
gani
zatio
n.or
gani
zatio
n.or
gani
zatio
n.
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
Stud
ents
dem
onst
rate
a.
Onl
y ra
rely
take
sSo
met
imes
take
s ri
sks
Oft
en ta
kes
risk
sFr
eque
ntly
take
s ri
sks
will
ingn
ess
to ta
ke r
isks
risk
in o
rder
to le
arn.
in o
rder
to le
arn
in o
rder
to le
arn.
in o
rder
to le
arn.
In o
rder
to le
arn.
(2.
8)
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
Stud
ents
ass
ess
thei
r ow
n A
ctio
ns a
re g
ener
ally
not
Act
ions
are
som
etim
esA
ctio
ns a
re fr
eque
ntly
Act
ions
are
oft
enle
arni
ng b
y de
velo
ping
base
d on
spe
cifi
c,
base
d on
goa
ls..
Goa
ls a
reba
sed
on g
oals
. G
oals
base
d on
goa
ls.
Goa
lsri
goro
us c
rite
ria
for
mea
sura
ble,
atta
inab
le,
som
etim
es S
MA
RT.
Goa
lsar
e fr
eque
ntly
SM
AR
T.ar
e of
ten
SMA
RT.
them
selv
es, a
nd u
sere
leva
nt, o
r tim
edar
e se
ldom
ref
erre
d to
or
Goa
ls a
re s
omet
imes
G
oals
are
fre
quen
tlyth
ese
to s
et g
oals
and
(S
MA
RT
) go
als.
adju
sted
aft
er b
eing
set
.re
ferr
ed to
or
adju
sted
refe
rred
to a
nd a
djus
ted
prod
uce
cons
iste
ntly
afte
r be
ing
set.
afte
r be
ing
set.
high
qua
lity
wor
k. (
3.1)
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
Stud
ents
dem
onst
rate
Se
ldom
dem
onst
rate
sSo
met
imes
dem
onst
rate
sO
ften
dem
onst
rate
sA
lway
s de
mon
stra
tes
resp
ect f
or th
emse
lves
resp
ect f
or s
elf,
pee
rs,
resp
ect f
or s
elf,
pee
rs,
resp
ect f
or s
elf,
pee
rs,
resp
ect f
or s
elf,
pee
rs,
and
othe
rs. (
3.3)
and
adul
ts.
and
adul
ts.
and
adul
ts.
and
adul
ts.
Appendix B
Experiential Learning Cycle Debriefing:What, So What, Now What?
One simple and effective way to move through the experiential learning cycle is by asking threebasic but powerful questions. Some sample questions are offered as examples:
What? (Reflecting): Explores what went on during the activity or task that was just completed.Questions focus on both the task itself and the process by which the task was completed. Answersare often a more superficial recounting of particular moments or generalized observations.
∑ What just happened in this activity?∑ What was hard about the task?∑ What role did you take as a participant?∑ Did each of you feel heard?∑ How did the decisions get made?
So What? (Generalizing): Explores what individuals and the group learned from the experience,focusing on drawing personal meaning. Class goals and personal goals are questioned.Consequences of actions are discussed. Reflections often include feelings provoked during a taskor activity.
∑ In what ways were you successful in working together as a group?∑ What happened when the group first wasn’t successful?∑ How did the group and/or individuals handle frustration?∑ What parts of your problem-solving process worked well?∑ What did it feel like to have your idea go unvoiced/unheard?∑ Did anyone purposely take any risks in doing this task that they would be willing to share?
Now What? (Applying): Explores how this experience relates to other experiences theindividual is having in situations outside of the class. Insights can lead to newfound strengthsand possible new goals.
∑ How does this new understanding relate to the skills you will need for your desiredprofession?
∑ How does this activity help you better understand your abilities as a leader?∑ How can you use the strengths you identified in your life outside this class?
Facilitators can use these three levels of questioning to guide activity and project task reflections.It is important to have people think about what they have learned in creative ways. Alternativesto standard verbal debriefing are included throughout the curriculum.
B-1
Appendix C
Vermont’s Framework of Standards
Sustainability Standard (3.9)
Students make decisions that demonstrate understanding of natural and human communities,the ecological, economic, political, or social systems within them, and awareness of how theirpersonal and collective actions affect the sustainability of these interrelated systems.
Understanding Place Standard (4.6)
Students demonstrate understanding of the relationship between their local environmentand community heritage and how each shapes their lives.
C-1
Lights, Camera… Leadership!References
Dewey, J. (1938). Experience and Education, New York, NY: Collier Books.
Frank, Laurie. The Caring Classroom, Goal Consulting, 1337 Jenifer St., Madison, WI 53703.
Glasser, W. (1965). Reality Therapy, New York, NY: Harper and Rowe.
Henderson, N., and Milstein, M. (1996). Resiliency in Schools: Making It Happen for Studentsand Educators, Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.
Jensen, M. (1979). Application of small group theory to adventure programs. Journal ofExperiential Education, 2(2).
Kolb, D. A. (1984). Experiential learning: Experience as the source of learning andDevelopment, Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall, Inc.
Lewin, K. (1944). The Dynamics of Group Action. Educational leadership 1(4).
Lofquist, W. (1983). Discovering the Meaning of Prevention. Tucson, AZ: Associates for YouthDevelopment, Inc.
MacGowan, P. ( ) Business Executive’s Guide to Producing Video. Waitsfield, VT:Vanguard Productions. 802-496-6220.
Orton, C., Spiegel, K, and Gale, E. Lights, Camera, Community Video: Engaging Citizens inCreating a Community Documentary and Vision. Chicago, Illinois: American PlanningAssociation, Planning Advisory Service. Report Number 500/501.
Our Voices: Our Community Youth Leadership Curriculum (2003). Montpelier, Vermont:Vermont Children’s Forum and Vermont Rural Partnership, 2003. 802-229-6377
Payne, R. (1996). A Framework for Understanding Poverty. Highlands, Texas: Aha! Process, Inc.
Rhonke, K. (1988). The Bottomless Bag. Dubuque, IA: Kendall/Hunt Publishing Company.
Rohnke, K., and Butler, S. (1995). Quicksilver: Adventure Games, Initiative Problems, TrustActivities and a Guide to Effective Leadership, Dubuque, IA: Kendall/Hunt Publishing Company.
Schoel, J., and Maizell, R. (2002). Exploring Islands of Healing. New Perspectives on AdventureBased Counseling, Project Adventure.
Skelding, M. (2000). Lasting Results: Rediscovering the Promise of Standards ThroughAssessment-Based Instruction, Montpelier, VT: Common Roots Press.
Skelding, M, Kemple, M. and Kiefer, J. (2001). Living Traditions: A Teacher’s Guide,Montpelier, VT: Common Roots Press.
Technical Assistance Report of the United States Conference of Mayors, (November 2000). 1620Eye Street NW, Washington DC 2006.
Part 2:
The Seven PhasesOf
Lights, Camera... Leadership!
Phase OneContents
PagePhase One Overview 1
Phase One Goal 1
Phase One Objectives 1
Objective 1: Participants will figure out what this course is all about. 2
Activity 1: Lights, Camera... Leadership! “Time Capsule” 2Activity 2: Syllabus Review 3Activity 3: Exploring the Video Project 3Activity 4: Why a Community Video? The Rhyme and Reason 4
Objective 2: Participants will explore a way to problem solve and make decisions as they do their video project. 5
Activity 1: The Deep Dive Video 5
Objective 3: Begin working together as a team, creating a team vision and norms. 6
Activity 1: Up Chuck 6Activity 2: Warp Speed 7Activity 3: The Full Value Commitment 8Activity 4: Compass Points 12
Objective 4: Define "community" personally and as a group. 13
Activity 1: Community is… 13Activity 2: Why do People Live in Groups? 14
Objective 5: Define the course goal and a personal goal usingSMART goal setting guidelines. 14
Activity 1: SMART Goal Setting 14
Phase One Closing Activities 15
Activity 1: Comfort Zone and Beyond 15Activity 2: The Project Simile 17
Phase One Appendices
A Lights, Camera... Leadership! Course OverviewB Lights, Camera... Leadership! Course SyllabusC Video Project SummaryD Deep Dive Decision-Making OverviewE Full Value Commitment ExampleF Compass PointsG Why do People Live in Groups?H SMART Your GoalsI Comfort Zone and Beyond
Relationship of Phase One to Vermont’s Framework of Standards andLearning Opportunities
2.2 Problem SolvingStudents use reasoning strategies, knowledge, and common sense to solve complexproblems related to all fields of knowledge.
3.1 Goal-SettingStudents assess their own learning by developing rigorous criteria for themselves, and usethese to set goals and produce consistently high-quality work.
3.10 TeamworkStudents perform effectively on teams that set and achieve goals, conduct investigations,solve problems, and create solutions (e.g. by using consensus-building and cooperation towork toward group decisions).
3.11 InteractionsStudents interact respectfully with others, including those with whom they have differences.
3.12 Roles and ResponsibilitiesStudents analyze their roles and responsibilities in their family, their school and theircommunity.
3.33 RespectStudents demonstrate respect for themselves and others.
4.6 Understanding PlaceStudents demonstrate understanding of the relationship between their local environmentand community heritage and how each shapes their lives.
Phase 1:What are we doing in this course?
How are we going to do it?
“This project is such a complicated process…you’ve got to be getting along with your group orit’s not going to work.”
-- Maggie MacArthur McKay (sophomore)
Phase One Overview:
Laying the foundation for this course includes:
� providing an overview of the ultimate task or outcome, and� creating a framework for the process of successfully achieving this task.
During Phase 1 participants begin to understand that the video project serves as a means to developvaluable leadership skills. Technical competency will be one outcome of this course, butdevelopment of this skill is secondary to mastering the teamwork necessary to reach a commongoal. The group’s ultimate success depends on its ability to be an effective team, with eachindividual assuming varied and valued leadership roles along the way.
Leadership skill development requires ongoing risk-taking or venturing outside of one’s ordinary“comfort zone.” Individuals must feel safe and supported and able to trust others in order to begintaking such risks. Phase 1 provides time for participants to get to know one another, to createground rules that will guide each member’s behavior, and to begin to form a group identity. Theimportance of setting reachable goals is also introduced.
Phase 1 Goal: Create a positive, productive learning community by fostering a commonunderstanding of the task, and developing a shared vision and commitmentto the process of reaching this goal.
Phase 1 Objectives:
Participants will:
� Figure out what this course is all about. � Explore a way to problem-solve and make decisions throughout the video project.� Begin working together as a team, creating a team vision and norms.� Define "community" personally and as a group.� Define the course goal and a personal goal using SMART goal-setting guidelines.
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Activity 1: Lights, Camera... Leadership! “Time Capsule”
Materials: Create large summaries on newsprint of each individual course phase, using the “Lights, Camera... Leadership! Course Overview” (see Appendix A) TapeA copy of “Lights, Camera... Leadership! Course Overview” for each participant
Time Commitment: 35 minutes
Facilitator Note: This “Time Capsule” overview is a way to help participants understand themajor components of the course AND the timeframe in which they will occur. It will helpindividuals realize the scope of the work and clarify that filming and editing will occur only afterconsiderable research to develop a focus for their video. Predictably, some participants willassume that they will be filming immediately. Creating clear expectations will help them understandthe importance of the initial planning work. The final step in the activity will help instructors andclassmates understand the diversity of participants’ interests.
Step 1: Create seven large summary newsprint sheets or other fun visual (i.e. oversized footsteps,film frame, etc.) which includes the major tasks in each phase (see Appendix A, “Lights, Camera,Leadership! Course Overview.”) Include the timeframe you have for each phase.
Step 2: Post the sheets in sequence, spanning the room.
Step 3: Have participants form a semicircle and move them from “station to station” to reviewwhat will be happening at each phase. You might introduce each new station by having themthink about other things that will be going on in their lives during the time period covered by thatphase (e.g. sports seasons, holidays, college applications, etc.). Then review what they will alsobe doing in this course during that same time period.
Step 4: After the participants have reviewed each station, ask them to pick which phase they aremost excited about or interested in. Have them go to that station and talk with others in the samegroup about why they chose this phase (5 minutes). Finally, ask for a report back from each station.
Facilitator Note: Pair up with any loners to give them someone to share with. If there are moreloners than there are instructors, have individuals who are alone at a station briefly write downwhy they chose that station so that they can report out from their list.
Dialogue and/or Journal Questions:
� Does this course description fit with your expectations?� How is it different from what you expected?
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Objective 1: Participants will figure out what this course is all about.
Activity 2: Syllabus Review
Materials: A copy of the course syllabus for each participant (see Appendix B), modified toreflect the specifics of your class
Newsprint paperMarkers
Time Commitment: 30 minutes
Step 1: Modify the syllabus to fit your unique setting. Hand out the syllabus to each participantand allow the class to first review it silently. Briefly review and summarize the syllabus.
Step 2: Divide the class into groups of four. Provide each group with large newsprint paper andmarkers to record their answers. The two questions are:
1. What questions do you have about this course?2. What most interests you about this course?
Have each group share their answers and lead a dialogue to explore themes that surface.
Activity 3: Exploring the Video Project
Materials: A copy of the “Video Project Summary” (see Appendix C) for each participant Write each question (noted below) on a separate piece of newsprintMarkersTape
Time Commitment: 20 minutes
Step 1: Split the class into three groups. Give each group five minutes to brainstorm and recordtheir responses to ONE of the following questions, asking that a time keeper and facilitator be identified for each group:
� What do you think the major challenges of this project will be for yourself, yourproduction team and your community?
� What do you think the major learning opportunities of this project will be?� Why is it important to present a balance of what the community is doing well concerning
the issue you will choose, as well as the challenges?
Step 2: After five minutes, have each group switch questions, review what the prior group has written, and add any NEW ideas they might have.
Step 3: Have the groups share their summary sheets and lead a dialogue about what was heard.
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Facilitator Note: Explore the strengths-based perspective approach. Give an example of usinga deficit perspective rather than a strengths-based perspective about an issue in your school orcommunity (e.g. “We live in a small, poor, rural town that doesn’t offer kids much. There’snothing to do here -- no pool or skating arena, no movie theater, no bowling alley, no mall.”versus “We live in a small, rural town in a poorer part of the state. One thing this school and townare working on is providing more opportunities for youth. Here are some things that we dooffer…and here are some things young people say they would like: a pool, a skating arena, a mall,a bowling alley.”) Ask what the effect on the viewer or listener is when using a deficit versusstrengths-based viewpoint (discouragement versus pride and hope!).
Activity 4: Why a Community Video? The Rhyme and Reason
Materials: None
Time Commitment: 15 minutes
Step 1: Share the following quote:
“A Community Video project uses the power and excitement of video production to lure residentsinto convening publicly to discuss the issues and opportunities facing their communities and toconsider choices regarding their future.” (Orton, Spiegel and Gale, 2001, p.2)
Step 2: Ask the questions noted in bold below. Bulleted discussion points are provided for teachersto help focus or add to the discussion.
Why do you think they used the word “lure” in this quote?
� Discuss the issue of civic apathy – for both youth and adults. Have students witnessedthis at school or in the community? How do they know it exists?
Why do you think this project will be important to your community?
� Talk about the opportunity to create community dialogue in a positive and proactive way rather than in response to a controversial decision, which is often the more typical way people break through apathy.
� Inform the class that adults will listen to youth in a way that they will not listen toother adults. They have the power to create powerful dialogue which otherwisewould not happen!
How might the steps in the process of making the video be important to the community?
� Youth are viewed as respected and contributing members of the community, investedin its future.
� People who are interviewed begin to think and talk about the issue with others,shaping opinion even before the video is finished.
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Facilitator Note: This class will be challenged to make many decisions and solve manyproblems over the course of the year in order to create and premiere the video. Building a capacityto make decisions and assuring a positive team process for addressing challenges will be key tostudents’ success. The process that is introduced in this activity will be repeatedly referred tothroughout the curriculum. It is a helpful framework from which to understand the project as awhole, as well as a guide for the many smaller decisions to be made.
The Deep Dive video presents a real life example of an internationally respected design team,IDEO, doing their work. Their particular task is to build the perfect shopping cart in one week.Participants have an opportunity to observe and discuss two key aspects of project work, usingIDEO as a model: 1) the steps necessary to make good decisions, and 2) the IDEO qualities theywant to apply to their work which will make them successful (preparation for Objective 3).
Make sure you have seen the video before using it in class!
Activity 1: The Deep Dive Video
Materials: Deep Dive VideoTV/VCR setupA copy of the “Deep Dive Decision-Making Overview” (see Appendix D) for
each participant
Time Commitment: Video: 20 minutesIntroduction and follow-up discussion: 20 minutes
Step 1: Offer the following key points about the video the students are going to see:
� A world-famous design team was charged with creating the perfect shopping cart in just one week.
� This company, IDEO, is famous for how well its employees work together to addresschallenges.
� The "Deep Dive Decision-Making Overview" walks you through the steps IDEO tookin creating its shopping cart. (Briefly review the steps on the handout.)
� Notice how the IDEO team follows these steps as they do their work together. Jotdown notes about what you saw happening regarding the decision-making stepsprovided on the handout. Note that you can incorporate what you liked into your owndecision-making process as a video production team.
Step 2: View the videotape.
Step 3: Review the "Deep Dive Decision-Making Overview" and solicit feedback about how theIDEO team addressed each step.
Objective 2: Participants will explore a way to problem solve and make decisions as theydo their video project.
Dialogue and/or Journal Questions:
� Is this a place you think you might want to work some day? Why or why not?� What did you like about the way they worked together? Didn’t like?� What do you think are the key factors that make them so successful?
Facilitator Note: There are some wonderful phrases or points you might want to use to sparkdialogue if participants don’t mention them:
� Everyone is valued.� Diversity of perspectives is key to success.� Fail often to succeed sooner.� Enlightened trial and error succeeds over the planning of the lone genius.� Encourage wild ideas.
Facilitator Note: Two problem-solving activities are offered so that participants can practice andobserve their own decision-making process, using the "Deep Dive Decision-Making Steps"handout as a reference point. During these two activities, ask if one or two participants would bewilling to be observers and use the Decision-Making handout as a guide for their observations.As part of the debrief at the end of the activities they can share their observations. The group thencreates a Full Value Commitment, which challenges them to visually capture a common vision forthe course and identify norms that will serve as a benchmark for their process throughout the year.This activity takes some time -- but it is well worth it! (See Appendix E for an example of theoriginal classes’ Full Value Commitment.) Finally, participants explore the diversity in theirgroup through the Compass Point activity.
Activity 1: Up Chuck (adapted from Rohnke and Butler, 1995, p.191)
Materials: Two pieces of paper (recycled is fine) for each participant
Time Commitment: 30 minutes
Step 1: Circle up. Ask participants to put their hands out in front of them and place one piece ofpaper on each person’s hand. Next, instruct them to crumple up the paper using one hand,resulting in each person having two paper “balls.” Ask them to try tossing the wadded balls ofpaper in the air, to be caught by themselves, to test for aerodynamic qualities. Now introduce thechallenge:
� Throw all these balls in the air at least two feet above your head. � Accomplish this simultaneously. � Have as few of them hit the floor as possible.� You cannot catch your own paper balls.
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Objective 3: Begin working together as a team, creating a team vision and norms.
Facilitator Note: Most groups try throwing the balls to one another, which usually is not verysuccessful. The most effective way to solve the problem is to create a human carpet and let thepaper balls fall in the laps of other participants. Facilitators should keep count of drops and makesure that the group is abiding by the two feet above the head rule and the requirement to throwthe balls simultaneously.
Dialogue and/or Journal Questions:
� How did the group make decisions? � Was the way decisions were made effective? Why? Why not?� How did your decision-making process compare to the Deep Dive steps?
(Solicit observer reflections here.)� What was your role in the group’s decision-making process?� What do you do best in making decisions and what do you struggle with when you
consider the steps outlined on the observation form?
Activity 2: Warp Speed (Adapted from Rohnke, 1991, p.53)
Materials: Soft object such as a nerf ball Stopwatch
Time Commitment: 20 minutes
Tell participants that their challenge is to have the given object pass through (which means touch)both hands of each participant in the shortest time possible. Ask them to guess how long it willtake. The facilitators will be timers. Make sure someone in the group is responsible for tellingyou when to start and stop.
Facilitator Note: Let the group go through multiple trials, hopefully trying increasingly moresuccessful strategies each time. Generally, the most efficient way to complete this task isto incorporate gravity into the solution, creating a funnel of hands through which the objectcascades. You might consider writing down on newsprint participant comments about what madethem successful for reference in the Full Value Commitment activity.
Dialogue and/or Journal Questions:
� Were you successful with the problem-solving task? What contributed to your success?� What qualities did you have to draw on as individuals and as a group that together
allowed you to be able to do this task (e.g. patience, persistence, etc.)?� Any ideas about what you might do differently on the next problem solving activity to
make you even more successful?
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Activity 3: The Full Value Commitment (Adapted from Schoel and Maizell, 2001, p.41)
Facilitator Notes: The Full Value Commitment (FVC) is an activity that helps participantsestablish basic ground rules and create a group identity. It first requires reaching consensusaround a common visual image for the group. This process introduces the group to the challengesand benefits of working together. The diversity of participants’ expectations and hopes isrevealed. Those key qualities of being together that assure safety are explicitly stated and nolonger have to be assumed or hoped for. This activity is helpful for all members, and critical forindividuals who have not had positive group experiences within family, peer or school settings.Observing how and what participants contribute to this activity gives instructors important insightinto the dynamics of the group. If you have a larger group or particularly quiet members, split intosmall groups during brainstorm sessions of this activity to make sure everyone is heard.
The Full Value Commitment provides a foundation for participant ownership of the courseexperience. Underlying messages in the process of developing the FVC are:
� You know what you want and have a right to ask for it.� You are capable of creating your own learning environment and do not need rules and
regulations provided by others.� You are creative.� Diversity makes for a richer experience.� Compromise will be needed for everyone to feel satisfied. � The teacher(s) trust the participants’ voice and vision.
The pilot program’s Full Value Commitment can be found in Appendix E as an example of onegroup’s approach to this task.
Materials: A large sheet of paper (approximately 3’ x 7’)Assortment of washable colored markers Optional: other art materials
Note: The number of options you provide depends on the amount of time you have to devote tothis aspect of the FVC. The more varied the materials, the longer the amount of time, andpossibly the greater the group involvement and ownership.
Time Commitment: 60-70 minutes. The activity can be completed over multiple sessions.
A large sheet of paper (approximately 3’ x 7’) is placed on the floor or table and participants cir-cle around it. The FVC activity is facilitated as follows:
Step 1: Deciding on the Image (20-30 minutes) Participants are asked to identify a visualimage, somewhat like a mascot or a logo, which in some meaningful way represents their Lights,Camera… Leadership! class. Exploring qualities of their school mascot or a popular logo helpsground this somewhat abstract task.
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Participants first brainstorm the qualities they hope will define their video production team,making them satisfied and proud to have been a part of it (e.g. creativity, risk taking, teamwork).From this list, they can then suggest visual images that fit these qualities and/or the project as awhole. Their task is to reach consensus on this image and then to transfer it to the large piece ofpaper before them.
It can be helpful to link this activity to the participants’ own personal lives. You can promptparticipants to think of a personal experience with a group (drama, sports team, peer group) thathas been particularly positive. Ask them, “What could you count on from each other which madethis time together so good? What qualities of how you treated one another or attributes of theexperience made you look forward to your time together?” Make sure these qualities are writtendown and shared.
This is always an interesting and often challenging process, where the divergent ideas of a newgroup must be melded into one ultimate decision. It is not uncommon for multiple ideas tobe creatively incorporated into one visual image to minimize compromise. It is important to letthe group struggle with the form of the image, but assure that they do not become stuck orpolarized. The facilitator is the timekeeper for this activity and has the sometimes hard task ofkeeping it moving.
Step 2: Creating the Image (minimum of 20 minutes) Decide who or how many participantswill create this image on the large piece of paper. Ideally, everyone has some role in the artwork.Reinforce that the quality of the art product is not what is important; getting the concept down onpaper is what matters.
Facilitator Note: Two simpler and less time-intensive alternatives (10-15 minutes) are:
1) Circle of Hands: Have all participants create an unbroken circle with their hands,tracing around their own fingers and those of their neighbors. Ask that some space beleft on the outside of the circle, or
2) The Being: Have one person lie down and trace around his or her body. Alternatively, leteach group member “contribute” one part of his or her body which, when put togetherwith everyone elses’ body parts, represents the group.
The benefit of saving time is offset by the loss of a visual representation of the group’s identity.Only choose one of the above if for some reason your group is unable to handle creation of animage, as it is well worth the time!
Step 3: Positive Group Qualities Identified (30-40 minutes) Ask the group to fill the middle ofthe image with words describing the positive qualities that will be valued and upheld by thisgroup. The facilitator might say, “We will all be challenged in this class to take risks and to solvedifficult problems together as you create your video. What do you need from each other to allowyou to be successful in doing this? When you wake up in the morning, what do you want to knowabout the way this group works that will make you feel safe and want to be part of this
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group?” Have the class refer back to the list of qualities developed when they were creating theirvisual image.
One person offers an idea (e.g. teamwork, caring, positive attitude) and asks the group if theyhave any questions. Tell participants, “Often words mean different things to different people. Inthis case we all want to be clear about the meaning of any word that is offered because when weare finished, we are agreeing to live by these words.” When all questions have been answered,the person asks if everyone agrees. Unless consensus is reached, the word(s) cannot be recordedon the FVC. When there is agreement about an attribute, the person who suggested it writes theword in the middle of the image. It can be helpful to establish thumbs up (agree), thumbs to theside (I still have questions) or thumbs down (I don’t think this word belongs in the FVC) as anefficient way for the person offering the idea to check the group for agreement.
The group will typically identify many of the following: trust, support, mutual respect, goodcommunication, honesty, humor, healthy conflict resolution, honoring differences, caring, takingrisks, constructive feedback, courage, teamwork, cooperation, good listening, patience, fun.Facilitators should ask for clarification on any ambiguous or ill-defined words. For example, onemight ask, "What does respect mean? What does it look like?" The facilitator can help theindividual who offered a word reach consensus on whether or not it belongs on the FVC and helpto draw out quiet participants.
There are three attributes that facilitators should identify and explore if not already offered byparticipants: participation, confidentiality, and physical and emotional safety. Facilitators shouldask about the desired minimum level of participation. “Is it okay to be late, come and not engagein an activity, or disrupt an activity? Why might a commitment to participation be important toyour video production team or this class as a whole?” The facilitators should also alwaysidentify confidentiality as a group issue. It is important that group confidentiality be definedminimally as never recounting a personal incident of any other participant to anyone outside ofthe group unless that person has given permission to do so. General information about whathappened can certainly be discussed, but this cannot include person-specific stories that arederogatory. Finally, the facilitator and the group must be responsible for each others’ physicaland emotional safety. “Safety” can be offered for discussion, with the physical and emotionalcomponents ideally being brought up by the group.
Step 4: Negative Group Qualities Identified (10-15 minutes) The next step is to identify allthose negative group qualities that would contribute to a bad group experience. The facilitator canprompt, “When you wake up in the morning, what negative qualities of this group would makeyou want to crawl back into bed and dread coming rather than look forward to coming?” You canask them to remember a negative group experience they have had in the past and list those thingsthat made it so miserable.
The same process for offering individual ideas and reaching consensus before recording the traitis followed. Often energy is getting low at this point and the facilitator may offer to write downwhat is suggested unless anyone voices a question or concern about it. These are recorded on theperiphery of the commitment and outside the image that holds the positive qualities. Frequently
offered negative qualities are: cliques, dishonesty, put-downs or negative criticism, rigidity,sarcasm, selfishness, physical aggression, apathy, unwillingness to make mistakes, uncooperativeness,and competition. It can be helpful to clarify that negative “put-downs” include criticizing othersor putting oneself down (verbally or through one’s own internal messages).
Step 5: The Signing (3 minutes) The final step is to have all participants sign this commitment.Their signature signifies their intent to uphold the FVC vision by aligning their personal actionswith the commitment to the best of their abilities. Facilitators should also sign, reinforcing yourpartnership in this experience.
Clarify that the FVC is a vision or a destination in a journey. No individual or group has everbeen able to fully “live inside” a Full Value Commitment for extended lengths of time. It is alearning process. Mistakes are an important part of making the FVC real and in growing as indi-viduals and as a group. Reinforce that participants are guardians of this vision and responsiblefor seeing it through. Doing this is a leadership act in and of itself.
Step 6: Walking the Talk (throughout the course) Bring the Full Value Commitment to eachclass or hang it on a classroom wall. When appropriate, it can serve as a powerful tool for reflec-tion. Some ideas:
� Have each individual identify one goal regarding the FVC quality that will be mostchallenging. Have him or her write this goal on the FVC (see Objective 5). Suggestthat the individual ask the group for help reaching this goal if help is wanted. Later,help the individual create a realistic plan to reach this goal and check-in regularly onhis or her progress.
� Use the FVC as a reflective tool, always starting with strengths (e.g. “What do youthink you are doing really well as a group?” As an individual?). Only after this shouldyou go to areas they might identify as needing improvement. If the FVC is onlyreferred to during dysfunctional times, the class will quickly grow to resent it.
� Keep the FVC alive. Add to it, clarify it, and make it a living document. One strategythat seems to work well is to put the individual attributes on separate pieces of paperand have each student draw one FVC quality. Each student becomes either adetective (looking for examples of when this is happening), or guardian (calls the class back when they are straying from what they want). This develops meta-skillsregarding their own process in a fun way.
� Transfer your Full Value Commitment to t-shirts for the class.
� Have participants journal about their personal strengths and challenges that have beennoted in the FVC. Ask them to reflect on what might be missing in the FVC and addit to the document if class agreement is reached.
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Dialogue and/or Journal Questions:
� What was it like for you to do this activity?� What did you like about it? Why?� Were there difficult parts in completing the FVC? What made them difficult?� Have you ever been in a group that actually lived the inside qualities most of the time?
What did it feel like to be part of that group?� Have you ever been in a group that mostly lived outside your vision in the negative
qualities? What did it feel like to be part of that group?� How can we use the FVC as a class as we move on?
Activity 4: Compass Points (adapted from the "National School Reform Faculty" materials)
Facilitator Note: This activity helps participants better understand how their personal styleaffects the role they take in a group. It is an opportunity to identify the strengths of their styleand ways to grow or become more flexible as group members. Importantly, Compass Points givesindividuals a way to gain an appreciation for people with differing styles who might otherwise bejudged and dismissed as unproductive or annoying group members. It will help the class analyzetheir balance or imbalance of differing styles and see where they might need to compensateduring various project phases and demands.
Materials: A copy of the Compass Points handout “Compass Points Personal Style Activity,Compass Points Drawing and Compass Points Description.” (see Appendix F) foreach participantPen or pencilFour pieces of paper each with one Compass Point direction on it (East, North, West, South)Tape
Time Commitment: 30-40 minutes
Step 1: Discuss that one way we are all different is relative to our own “personal styles.” Explainthat the class is going to use a helpful tool, called Compass Points, to explore this aspect of ourdifferences. After we each identify our own personal style, we will talk about how it serves uswell and how it can present challenges when we work with people who operate in different ways.
Pass out the Compass Points materials. Briefly review the four personal style options (seeAppendix F).
Tell participants that people are a mix of styles but that individuals usually have a dominant stylethat they use more often than the others. For this activity, their job is to indentify their dominantstyle. Designate four areas in the room, one for each compass point group. Have them go to theirrespective corner when they have decided their own personal style, bringing their compass pointmaterials and a writing utensil.
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Step 2: When the groups are formed, ask each group to talk about the four questions providedfor 15 minutes.
� What are the strengths of our style? � What are the limitations of our style? � What style do we find the most difficult to work with and why? � What do other people need to know about us so that we can work together more effectively?
Ask that each group have a facilitator, a recorder and a timekeeper. (Be prepared for the Northgroup to be done in record time!)
Step 3: When finished, ask each group to report out relative to the four questions, hearing fromall four groups on the first question before moving to the second, etc.
Dialogue and/or Journal Questions:
� How balanced was our class relative to the compass points and are the impications of this?� What was it like to do this activity and talk about differences in this way?� Did the four styles ring true to you?� What did you find helpful about doing this activity?� What will happen to our video production team when we have a big task to address as
a group and any one “compass point” is missing?� How does your dominant style affect your school life? Relationship with peers? Life
outside of school? Any examples?� Does understanding personal styles help you understand any relationships in your life
that are sometimes challenging? � What are some of the common stereotypes we assign to each compass point? What
happens when we stereotype in this way?
Note: Often the North group is identified as the most difficult group to work with. Make surethat the important positive role of the North group is highlighted before moving on!
Activity 1: Community is...
Materials: Newsprint or blackboard and chalk/whiteboard and markersPaper for each participantPen or pencilNewsprint and markers
Time Commitment: 40 minutes
Step 1: Ask participants to brainstorm to complete the following sentence, listing as manydescriptors that come to mind within three minutes’ time:
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Objective 4: Define "community" personally and as a group.
Community is…
Step 2: Create a master list of these brainstormed descriptions by soliciting one idea per person,going around the room as many times as needed until all ideas are exhausted. (The original classcame up with 65 attributes!)
Step 3: Ask each person to write a sentence that incorporates as many of these ideas aboutcommunity as possible, in three minutes.
Step 4: Form groups of four. Give each group fifteen minutes to come up with a definition ofcommunity that reflects a combining of all four group member perspectives. Give each group apiece of newsprint and a marker to write down their final definition.
Step 5: Have each group share their definition and discuss similarities and differences.
Step 6: Tie these definitions back into the task of creating a “Community” Video. How does thiswork inform the task?
Activity 2: Why do People Live in Groups?
Materials: A copy of the “Why do People Live in Groups” handout for each participant (see Appendix G)
Time Commitment: 30 minutes
Step 1: Pass out the "Why do People Live in Groups?" handout and ask participants to read it silently.
Step 2: Split the class into smaller groups of four to five. Have them answer the questionsembedded in the article (noted in bold). Ask each group to appoint a facilitator and timekeeper.
Step 3: Lead a dialogue, focusing on the questions in the handout.
Facilitator Note: Goal setting is an essential life skill. It is central to personal growth and lead-ership skill building. It is the bridge between good intent and action. SMART goal setting is asimple yet useful way to develop goals that set people up for success. This process will be usedthroughout the video-making experience.
“Even if you’re on the right track,You’ll get run over if you just sit there.”
-- Will Rogers
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Objective 5: Define the course goal and a personal goal using SMART goal setting guidelines.
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Activity 1: SMART Goal Setting
Materials: A copy of the “SMART YOUR GOALS” handout for each participant(see Appendix H)
Time Commitment: 40 minutes
Step 1: Ask participants why they think goal setting might be useful in this course and in theirlives. Share with them the “SMART YOUR GOALS” handout. Have participants split up intofive groups and ask each group to take one of the five attributes of a SMART goal. Have themtalk about why this particular attribute is important for attaining the success they want. Eachgroup then presents their case for the importance of their attribute to the whole group.
Step 2: SMART goal example. Review the Smart goal example provided in Appendix H. Thisis a broad goal but still meets the SMART criteria.
Step 3: Refer back to the Full Value Commitment. Study the words on both the inside andoutside. Ask participants to identify one aspect of the FVC that is an area they want to work on.Have them write a goal for that area which meets the SMART criteria. Have participants sharethis goal if they feel comfortable. This is an opportunity to ask others for help getting what theywant, or may simply inform others of something that is important to them as individuals. Ifindividuals don’t want to share the goal with the group, reinforce that it is important for them toshare it with someone.
Dialogue and/or Journal Questions:
� What has been your past experience in setting goals?� When have you been most successful in reaching a goal?� What barriers have you typically run into reaching a goal?� How comfortable are you asking others for help with goals?
Activity 1: Comfort Zone and Beyond (adapted from Frank, 2001, p.59)
Facilitator Note: This activity is important in introducing the concepts of risk-taking and“Challenge of Choice” (see page Introduction) that are constants throughout the entire courseexperience. It provides a great opportunity to let participants consider what now lies before themin this class and share their fears as well as areas of confidence regarding the major project tasksahead. Additional questions that are personal rather than project focused are simply anothermeans for class participants to get to know one another.
Materials: Rope or tape on the floor in three concentric circles A copy of the “Comfort Zone and Beyond Handout” for each participant(see Appendix I)
Phase 1 Closing Activities
Time Commitment: 20 minutes
Create three large concentric circles on the floor and label them as follows:
� Inner circle: COMFORT ZONE� Middle circle: GROWTH ZONE� Outside circle: PANIC ZONE
The inner circle should be large enough so that all participants could stand in it at the same time.Ideally, the circles are constructed before the class begins.
Step 1: Pass out the “Comfort Zone and Beyond” handout. Explain the following two points:
1. There will be many opportunities for participants to take risks and grow in theirleadership skills throughout this course. In each instance, participants will decidehow much they will reach beyond their comfort level.
“Challenge of Choice” is a principle that we will operate by throughout the Lights,Camera…Leadership! class. This means that at many points you will have to decide the level ofrisk you want to take on in any given discussion, activity or task. We know that most learningoccurs when a person pushes beyond his or her comfort zone to what we will call the “growthzone.” If you take on too much risk, you venture into the “panic zone” where the threat is toohigh to invite learning.
2. Participants will honor the diversity in their classmates’ choices.
Each of us defines our comfort, growth and panic zones differently. For some, speaking up incertain classes or meetings or with certain family members can create a sense of panic. Forothers, physical risk will be most frightening. It is important that at all times we honor thediversity of comfort, growth and panic zones of others in this experience so that we people canchallenge themselves without fear of riducle.
Step 2: I am going to read some questions and ask that you put yourself into one of the three cir-cles depending on your level of comfort with the issue. After each question, be aware of whereeveryone else is.
How do/will you feel about:
� Spiders?� Speaking in front of a large group?� Singing solo in front of a group?� Calling a stranger to ask them to be interviewed?� Telling a family member that you love him or her?� Leading a group of adults in a discussion?� Heights?
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� Confronting a friend about something he or she did or said that was hurtful?� Talking to an adult community member to see how he/she feels about the community?� Snakes?� Walking into a room where you don’t know anyone?� Walking in the woods alone at night?� Confronting a friend about a role they are taking as part of the video production team
that is not helping it be successful?� Walking into a meeting of all adults?� Spending a day alone?� Asking a teacher for help?� Asking a friend for help?� Introducing yourself to someone new?� Telling the teacher that something he or she presented is not clear?� Complimenting a friend on something he or she did well?
Dialogue and/or Journal Questions:
� Were you surprised by where you placed yourself relative to others? When?� Some people want a lot of encouragement to step out of their comfort zone. Others
find this sort of encouragement uncomfortable – it feels like pressure. What is your preference?
� How can we all support one another to step out of our comfort zones?
Facilitator Note: The next-to-last question provides an opportunity to talk to the class about theimportance of an open, trusting relationship where participants can openly talk with you aboutwhat is working and what isn’t. You are creating a partnership with them in this project and youvalue their honesty.
Activity 2: The Project Simile
Materials: Four pieces of newsprintMarkersTape
Time Commitment: 30 minutes
Step 1: Make four visual images of the following (stick figures are great!):
� A group climbing a mountain� A group paddling a canoe� A group sewing a quilt� Being in a rock band
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Step 2: Ask the group to finish the following phrases:
Being a young person in this community is like…Making this video is going to be like…
Read the first phrase and instruct the group to go to the “visual” that best represents how theywould finish the phrase. Invite participants to make up another visual image if they think theyhave a better one (flinging yourself into a mosh pit perhaps). They can even try to see ifany others want to join them.
Step 2: Have the small groups talk for ten minutes about why they chose that image and why itis certainly the best or most correct way to finish the phrase.
Step 3: Ask that each group report out their rationale for choosing that visual. Give them a fewminutes to plan who will present.
Read the second phrase and repeat the process.
Dialogue and/or Journal Questions:
� What was it like to do this activity?� Were you surprised about any aspects of what was said in your groups?� What different perspectives became apparent about how classmates view the video project?
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Appendix ALights, Camera...Leadership!
Course Overview
Phase 1: What are we doing in this course? How are we going to do it?
Goal: Create a positive, productive learning community by fostering a common understanding of the task, and developing a shared vision and commitment to theprocess of reaching this goal.
� Figure out what this course is all about.� Explore a way to problem-solve and make decisions throughout the video project.� Begin working together as a team, creating a team vision and norms.� Define "community" personally and as a group.� Define the course goal and a personal goal using SMART goal setting guidelines.
Phase 2: How do we choose a video topic that is important to our community?Becoming experts.
Goal: Reach consensus and develop expertise on a video topic by collecting data throughfocus groups, interviews and primary research.
� Develop fundamental interviewing skills: asking good questions, noticing nonverbalcues, learning to listen even if you strongly disagree, and paraphrasing.
� Learn to organize and lead a focus group.� Conduct individual interviews with community members and complete historical
research, gathering information from many different stakeholders in the community.� Analyze the information collected.� Review alternative ways to make decisions and choose one method that is best for your
team to use in deciding the video topic and focus of the storyline.� Decide on the exact focus of your video and your storyline.� Do you know enough? Conduct additional research to capture all you still need to
know about past, present and future perspectives of the issue.
Phase 3: How can we make a video that people won’t forget?
Goal: Develop a master plan for the video content and learn the technical skills necessaryto capture this content on video.
� Define the audience, purpose, key points and tone of the video.� Explore what makes a great video documentary by learning from the pros and then
watching and critiquing other videos.
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A-2
� Develop the skills needed to begin shooting the video: production process (securing a site, scheduling, release forms, etc.), interviewing and narration skills, and lighting and filming techniques.
Phase 4: Let’s go shoot!
Goal: Efficiently organize the videotaping process, securing the footage necessary to makea compelling video.
� Create a rough outline of the video, identifying who is to be interviewed andwhat B-roll is needed.
� Develop the interview questions.� Conduct interviews and film the B-roll.
Phase 5: Creating the final video.
Goal: Develop the technical, critical analysis, and group decision-making skills necessaryto create the final video.
� Learn and master video editing techniques.� Log the video footage.� Finalize the editing script.� Edit the final video.
Phase 6: Premiering the video!
Goal: Successfully organize and facilitate a Community Video premiere and dialogue session.
� Organize and advertise the community premiere.� Practice techniques to facilitate discussions where there might be disagreements.� Develop public speaking skills.� Host the premiere.
Phase 7: Celebrating and reflecting.
Goal: Reflect upon and celebrate individual and group accomplishments, identifying hownew skills and abilities can serve class participants in the future.
� Reflect upon what has been learned in the course.� Celebrate their learning and accomplishments.
Appendix B
Lights, Camera…Leadership!
Course Syllabus
Lead Teacher:Joe SchmoeP.O. Box 37E. Hardwick, VT472-6816 (w)
What is the class all about? This course is designed to give you the skills to make a videotapeof your community, one that captures the past, present and future of a key issue in your town.Once the videotape is finished, you will organize a community gathering and lead a discussionaround controversial points and areas of common agreement. Initial planning for the videowill include hosting one or more community focus groups, interviewing a number of communitymembers and conducting research in the community. You will receive training in:
� Project planning and decision-making.� Organizing and leading a focus group to define the video topic.� Video formatting and design options.� Working effectively as a team.� Video production methods and techniques.� Interviewing skills.� Facilitating a community forum which might include strong conflicting opinions.
Lights, Camera…Leadership! will provide an opportunity to learn and practice all the nec-essary skills needed to be successful in completing a meaningful project which has thepotential to influence the future direction of your community.
Time Commitment: This class will meet for 2-3 hours weekly. After school and possiblyweekend or vacation time will be needed to complete the video project (evening focus groups,video filming and editing sessions.) These activities will be scheduled for times that work for youand your classmates.
Course Credit: This is an academic credit course that will appear on your transcript.
What can you minimally expect to get out of this course?
� You will have great training in how to produce a quality Community Video.� You will learn about and experience how a team works together effectively.� You will learn interviewing skills and how to lead discussions where there might
be a wide range of opinions to deal with and people of varying ages.B-1
� You will get to know your community in a way that you never have before. � You will build your leadership skills in areas you choose to develop.� You will have the satisfaction of providing your community with a product that
will make for great discussions in the short-term and may influence town decision-making in the long run.
What will be expected of you in this course?
� Full participation in all discussions, activities and assignments.� Committing to acting as a valued team member in all project work.� Timely completion of all tasks and assignments.� Excellent class attendance and willingness to meet with classmates outside of
class time to complete the work. � Willingness to take risks and challenge yourself.
Required Texts and Materials:
� Notebook to organize all handouts and project work� Journal
Grading:
Participants will be graded based on the following requirements:
� Active participation at all trainings and site meetings.� Willingness to be a positive and contributing team member.� Timely follow-through on all assignments or team tasks.� Ability to set and meet personal goals.� Attendance at all course meetings.� Quality of journal reflections.
Note: Participants will self-evaluate their performance on a quarterly basis and meet with theteacher to discuss this evaluation and set personal goals for the next quarter.
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Appendix C
Video Project Summary
� Develop a thought provoking Community Video, that captures some important aspect of your community frompast, present and future perspectives.
� The Community Video should inform, persuade and/or influence viewers’ perspectives on the given topic.
� The video should present a balance of what the communityis doing well concerning the issue, along with the challengesthat must be faced.
� The video will be premiered at a community gathering, followed by a student-facilitated dialogue session.
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Appendix D
Deep DiveDecision-Making Overview
� Is everyone clear about what the challenge or problem is?� Is everyone clear about the goal or desired outcome?� Do we know why change is needed or the problem or challenge exists? � What isn’t known that needs to be known?
Notes:
� Get any additional information needed to understand the challenge or problem andclarify the goal.
Notes:
� Generate lots of alternative solutions (some wild ideas are okay).� Make sure everyone’s ideas are heard without judgment or being cut off.
Notes:
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Define the Challenge or Problem.
Gather Additional Information.
Generate Alternative Solutions (The Deep Dive).
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� Consider the pros and cons of the ideas offered.� Make sure everyone’s thoughts or ideas are heard.� Be open-minded. Let go of just defending your own idea as the only right one.
Notes:
� Check that everyone’s opinions are taken into consideration when the solution ischosen.
� Reach consensus. Make sure that everyone agrees with the final choice, eventhough it might not have been his or her first choice.
Notes:
� Redesign your solution based on what you have learned and try again!
Notes:
Identify Pros and Cons of these Solutions.
Select the Best Solution.
Try it out and assess what worked well and what didn’t.
Appendix E
Full Value Commitment Example From Original Class
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North Person: This action-oriented individual takes charge, plunges into a newchallenge without hesitation and is not afraid to try new things. The "North Person"will not find it necessary to understand all the details of a task to start problem solving.They learn by doing and adjust as they go along. When presented with a new task, northpeople will be the ones saying, "Alright! Let’s do it! When do we start?"
East Person: The East Person likes to step back and get a sense of the "big picture"before taking action. He or she explores options and "what if" scenarios to make surethat what is going to be done makes sense. When presented with a new task, east peoplewill be asking for more information, thinking of many creative solutions and seeking aclear and rich vision for what lies ahead before acting.
South Person: The South Person is sensitive to the quality of the relationships of indi-viduals in his or her life, and is often guardian or caretaker of these relationships. Theseindividuals will be aware of the process of making decisions. They will note whenthere is conflict or tension, seeking to reach a compromise acceptable to all. When presentedwith a new task, south people will be most attentive to inclusion of differing ideas andchecking if everyone is feeling okay about group decisions.
West Person: The West Person seeks structure and organization. He or she wants toknow the practical aspects of any new task, such as: "What exactly is our endpoint?What do we do first, second, third…? What resources will we need? Who will be respon-sible?" This individual has the ability to think through details and transform ideas intoconcrete steps in a logical sequence. When presented with a new task, west people willwant clarity about exactly what the "destination" will be and can then help identify thesteps to get there.
Appendix F
Compass Points
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COMPASS POINTS
✧Action
“Let’s do it!”Takes charge, plunges
in, tries things
North
South
Action“Let’s do it!”
Takes charge, plungesin, tries things
Structure andOrganization
“What’s the plan?”Tends to details,
sequence
Vision“What if...?”
Speculates, creates,looks at the big
picture
West East
COMPASS POINTS
PERSONAL STYLE ACTIVITY
1.What are the strengths of our style? (four adjectives)
2. What are the limitations of our style? (four adjectives)
3. What style do we find the most difficult to work with and why?
4. What do other people need to know about us so that we can work together more effectively?
F-3
Appendix G
Why do People Live in Groups?
Many nonhumans live in groups. If you have ever watched an ant colony or a beehive, you haveprobably discovered that each ant or bee spends its life doing the same things over and over.Some build the “home” while others go out to bring back food and water. Still others seem to bein charge of the workers. You may have noticed that when one ant is injured, other ants searchfor the injured ant and bring it back home. Of course, ants sometimes fight with one another, too.All of these activities are acted out in the ants’ communities. In their groups, the ants haveindividual jobs to perform. By working in groups, the ants accomplish more than they could byworking alone.
People also work in groups. No two human beings are exactly alike. No individual in oursociety can supply all of the things she or he wants. So people work in groups to supplythemselves with the things they want. Some human groups oppose other human groups becausethey want different things. War is an extreme example of this.
In human societies there are many types of groups. In a primary group people usually have a veryclose relationship over a long period of time. They are emotionally involved with one another.They are loyal to each other and fulfill for each other the needs for love and “belongingness.”Primary groups give the individual confidence and strength to deal with the “outside world.”Primary groups include families and close friends.
Secondary groups are usually larger and less loving than primary groups. Secondary groups areoften no more than groups of people who need to do a job. A company or a business is asecondary group. The people in this group are usually not as close to each other as members ofa family are. And yet, there is a purpose for the secondary group: to get something done.
� What secondary groups do you belong to?
A community is a group of people (or many groups of people) who often live close to each otherand who work together for common goals. Your town or country is a community.
� What goals do the groups of people living in your town have in common?� What primary and secondary groups are in your community?� Could we call the local government a community?� Is the church a community? � Would you call the people who go to school with you a community?
The largest kind of group is called the society. The society is made up of many primary andsecondary groups and two or more communities. A nation such as our own is an example of asociety.
Adapted from Introduction to the Social Studies, by John Jay Bonstingl, Allyn and Bacon, Inc.,1985, 139-140.
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Appendix H
SMART YOUR GOALS
Specific: Decide exactly what it is you want to accomplish, learn or do.
Be very specific about what you want to achieve.
Measurable: How will you know when you’ve accomplished your goal?
Figure out a way to measure your success.
Attainable: Set yourself up for success. Reach high but not so high that the
goal is out of reach.
Relevant: Make sure the goal is personally meaningful.
Timed: Set a deadline and stick to it!
Once you have defined a SMART goal, check in regularly and see how you are doing. If the goalisn’t helping you accomplish what you want to accomplish, consider changing it. If it is helpingyou be successful, learn from what worked for you in this situation. This can help you succeedwith future goals.
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SMART Goal Example
Definitely UN-SMART Goal: We will make a video and I will pass this course.
SMART GOAL:
Our class will create a Community Video that will be premiered in my community next May. Itwill educate, inform, or persuade community members about an issue that is important to ourcommunity, showing what the community is doing well concerning the issue, along with thechallenges that must be faced. I will be a contributing member of my video production team andthis class as a whole, following the guidelines we set in the Full Value Commitment.
Specific:
� You are very clear about what you are going to accomplish and how you are goingto accomplish it, referencing the Full Value Commitment.
Measurable:
� Did you finish and premiere your video?� Did it educate, inform or persuade community members? A survey at the
end of the premiere will tell you this.� Did you regularly use the Full Value Commitment to reflect on your class and
team contributions? Feedback from peers is also another measure.
Attainable:
� You believe that you can handle the demands of this class.� You believe that your class has the potential to successfully develop a quality
video that will be of importance to your town.� You know your teacher and others are available to help you succeed.
Relevant:
� You believe that young people should have a greater voice in the future of yourcommunity.
� You know that young people have the ability to study and present for discussion,issues of importance that may influence future decision making in the town. Hopefully, this will make it a better place to live.
Timed:
� You have a clear time line and are part of a class which meets regularly to do this work.� You are committed to putting in the extra hours when the project demands it (i.e.
focus groups, filming, editing).
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Appendix I
COMFORT ZONE AND BEYOND
I-1
PANIC ZONE
GROWTH ZONE
COMFORTZONE
“The reason why many of our students do not do better in schools is not that they are deficient,or that their teachers are incompetent or uncaring; the reason is that these students do not seethe relevance of such learning to altering and improving their immediate lives in their communi-ties. If the central goal of schools were to prepare students to engage productively in a democ-racy, then students would be working on the concerns of their immediate and future life and onthe concerns of their immediate and extended communities.”
-- (Carl Glickman, Renewing America’s Schools, 1993)
Our schools face immense challenges these days delivering on our public promise to provide anacademically challenging course of study that prepares young people to achieve academically,become skilled and productive workers, and engage in the civic life of their community.Consequently, fundamental changes are needed in the way schools connect to community, and inthe strategies used to educate and develop a new generation of rural citizens and leaders. TheLights, Camera…Leadership! Curriculum Guide provides new ground in addressing these inter-related issues.
The curriculum provides a learning experience that captures students’ interests and commitment,while allowing students to discover the promise and possibility in their community. The range ofcomplex skills, knowledge and leadership required to create a video around an issue of paramountimportance to the community far exceeds those addressed in typical discipline specific assign-ments.
Place-based initiatives like Lights, Camera…Leadership! also emphasize the important role ofstudents as citizens of their community and as intellectual resources for community work. Thiseducational approach uses what is a local resource– the cultural fabric of the community - as alaboratory for teaching and learning. When learning opportunities are rooted in the local context,schools become important centers for the preservation and revitalization of rural communities anddemocratic traditions. The Community Video process helps students claim their identities asinhabitants and stewards of a particular place. Should they eventually leave, their education willstill have imparted an understanding of the value of small communities. Once students are trainedto be contributing citizens in their communities, they will be valuable additions to any communi-ty.
Anecdotal evidence from many communities across the country suggests that when young peo-ple are engaged in place-based learning activities, many who would otherwise drop out becomeengaged and challenged while learning academically difficult material. Instead of graduatingbored underachievers, we are able to raise academic achievement and assist young people tobecome caring adults. In partnership with supportive adults, young people are solving some of themost pressing issues in their communities. Our students have created day care centers, saved wet-lands, gathered oral histories from elders, established entrepreneurial businesses that bolster chal-lenged local economies, and testified before town councils and state legislatures on a myriad ofcivic issues. Their powerful aspirations have the potential to strengthen fragile communities,transform rural public education, inform public policy, and produce skilled leaders for ournation’s future.
It is important that learning opportunities outlined in the Lights, Camera…Leadership!Curriculum Guide become part of the standard course of study available to students. Too oftenthese real world learning experiences are marginalized (are perceived as “add--ons”) when, infact, these are the experiences that help students be more engaged in school and the communityat large.
The Lights, Camera…Leadership! Curriculum Guide involves young people in work that is com-plex, challenging, filled with student choice and decision-making. It is work that promotes part-nership between youth and adults around issues of community vitality and strength. It is work thatculminates in public presentations and performances that reveal young people’s true mastery ofskills and knowledge. It is an invaluable guide toward the realization of the larger purposes ofschooling and education.
Julie BartschSteward, Rural School and Community Trust
